August's Story 2: Now You See Them
by AlyssaHolloway
Summary: Catch her if you can. August has been left behind in Boston, but don't expect her to stay there long. With a new villian after Simon's latest invention and her friend Blaire getting closer to the truth, August must go on the run and join her former life once more. But, with both the CIA and the Quintanas on her trail, can she keep her loved ones safe?
1. Chapter 1

August's Story 2: Now You See Them…

Chapter 1

_Venice, Italy_

_I looked around the ballroom, searching for my mark. "Come on," I whispered. "Take the bait." I had been undercover in Venice for two months, posing as a rich American socialite. Actually, I was on my first mission for the CIA, trying to recover a diamond that could potentially be used to buy chemical and/or bio weapons that could be used against the U.S. _

_My job in this mission was to become involved in Venice society and eventually be invited to Francesco Bonacci's home for an event. (He was a Venetian arms dealer.) Now, I was at a gathering at his home, waiting for the moment where I would be able to sneak into the room where the diamond was being held to steal it. It was only a matter of time…oh, there was my mark! _

_My mark was Ricardo, another agent who was posing as a waiter for the event. He was going to get me into the room. "Signorina Isabella?" he asked. Isabella Young was my cover for this mission._

"_Yes?" I replied._

"_Signor Francesco wishes for you to come see his private art collection." That was my cue. _

"_Of course," I said. I followed Ricardo to a door where he showed me in. _

"_You're on your own now, Isabella," he whispered. "No extractions. If you get caught, no one's coming to save you."_

_I nodded and walked inside. There was Francesco, standing in the middle of an enormous art gallery. "Hello, Signor Francesco," I greeted. "Thank you for showing me your wonderful collection."_

"_Ah, Signorina Young. Always a pleasure to see you."_

"_Thanks." Quick as a flash, I pulled my tranq gun from its place on my thigh and shot him. He went down instantly. I took out the dart and made my way towards the next room. There it was-my prize. A beautiful diamond sitting on a pedestal inside a glass case. _

_I set to work. The security cameras had been turned off since Francesco was in the room, so I didn't have to worry about that. I went over to the glass case and frowned. It had pressure sensors, just what I was afraid of. Well, at least I was prepared. I reached into my clutch to pull out some tools, but I heard a noise. I quietly went for my gun, but a hand grabbed me. I kicked my assailant and began to run. It was Francesco!_

"_Security! Security, someone was about to steal the diamond!"_

"_Shoot," I muttered as I ran towards the gardens. I touched my earpiece. "Agent 1495 is requesting emergency extraction. Urgent!" No one answered. I had forgotten that there were no extractions! "Crap!" I began to run faster. But, it felt like I was running through molasses. I couldn't go any faster. The guards were just about to grab me when…_

I woke up screaming. I looked around and saw that I was in my room. _It's okay, August. You're not in the CIA. You're in Boston. _I still continued to breathe heavily. _There's no way I'm going to get back to sleep. _I glanced over at my alarm clock. 4 AM. _Well, that sucks. _I sighed, got out of bed, and headed downstairs to get something to eat.

I had been having nightmares ever since my cousin June had left me over two months ago to run off to who knows where with her lover, Roy Miller. We had broken him out of a secure facility where he would've been killed. Wait, let me go back to the beginning. I'm August Havens, if you don't know me. I'm sixteen years old (my birthday was last month), I have dark blond hair and brown eyes, and I'm wanted in about two countries. And those are the ones I know of.

You might be wondering what the heck I've done to have warrants out for my arrest. Well, mostly it's for theft, but there are other things, too. I won't take the time to list them all. We might be here all night!

All right, now back to my story. So, basically, I used to be a fugitive from the law. Now, I'm living in Boston with my cousins April (June's sister) and Ben. April wasn't very happy about having to take care of a teenager that her sister just dumped on her right after getting married. But, she grudgingly took me in since I had nowhere else to go.

I grabbed a box of cereal and poured some into a bowl. Not in the mood for milk, I got a spoon and stood at the window, eating my breakfast. The black sedan was outside in the street yet again. I sighed. _When will those people learn to leave me alone? _I finished my cereal and went upstairs to take a shower. After I was clean and dressed, I leaned under my bed and pulled out my box of special things.

Roy and June hadn't forgotten about me at least. Every other week or so, I received a package at a P.O. box I had set up under a false name. They mostly consisted of letters and sometimes photos of their new life (without saying where they were, though). That was good. I picked up the most recent thing I had gotten from Roy: a watch. This watch was special. If I was to get kidnapped or anything, I could push one button and a tracking device would be activated. Then, Roy and June could track me down and save me. I hadn't had a chance to test it yet.

I put on the watch and got my school stuff together. Then, I went outside the building to give the agents watching my apartment a piece of my mind. I walked right up to the car and banged on the window. It was rolled down to reveal a man sitting in the front seat. "Yes, Miss Havens?" he asked.

"You really have some nerve, don't you? First, you picked me up off the street that one time. Then, you followed me to school. And now, you show up at my apartment building in the middle of the night! What do you think, Roy and June are going to appear and whisk me away to wherever they are? If that was the plan, they would've done it by now!"

The agent was taken aback. "Miss Havens, Director George set this up for your safety…"

"Safety, my rear end! She just wants to keep an eye on me in case they show up on the grid again. And besides, Mr. Annoying Agent, I can take care of myself. If I get kidnapped, it's my own fault."

"But, the Quintana family is becoming restless. They're looking for revenge for Antonio's death."

"If they want to come after me, so be it. I can handle it. Now, have a nice day, and please leave before Blaire comes. She's noticed you a couple of times. Thanks." I turned around and headed back towards the building. All of a sudden, I heard the car door open.

"Miss Havens, Director George wants to have a word with you."

"I'll take a rain check," I replied as I continued to walk away.

"Now, August." I silently groaned as I recognized the woman's voice. I pivoted back around to see the director sitting in the backseat of the sedan.

"Isabel," I greeted with a fake smile. "How nice to see you again."

"Cut the act, August. Get in the car," Isabel ordered.

"All right, but I really need to go to school today. April can't keep making up excuses for me." I got inside and sat beside her. The agent up front turned the key and we drove down the street.

"Don't worry, we'll get you back in time. Now, we really need to know, where are Roy and June? I know that you must have some form of contact with them."

I rolled my eyes. I was getting tired of this question. "Isabel, I do not know where they are. I have told you this countless times. Even if I was in contact with them, they would not be stupid enough to tell me their location."

Isabel seemed frustrated. She had to be. Her best agent had run off, leaving me as her only lead. "You know, August, have you considered my offer? If you joined the CIA, you could go and search for them. Get revenge for leaving you behind…"

Anger pulsed through my veins. "I would never betray Roy and June and I will never join your agency. Now please stop the car and let me out. You cannot hold me unless you have probable cause for arrest."

The director was fuming. "As you wish, August. But, I will find them, with or without your help."

"You will never find them," I said. The car pulled to a stop in front of my apartment building and I got out. "And please call off your patrol on my building. Blaire is starting to get suspicious. I can't hold off her questions for much longer."

"August, that patrol is for your safety. I won't call it off until the Quintanas have calmed down. Now, goodbye." She shut the door and the car sped away.

"Bye," I muttered. I headed back to my apartment, mumbling under my breath some very not nice things about what I thought about Isabel. I went upstairs and finished getting ready for school. Right as I grabbed my backpack, I saw my best friend Blaire Pruitt walking up the street to our building. She lived right down the street. I climbed down the stairs and met her halfway.

"Hey!" Blaire waved.

"Hi!" I replied. "Ready for another day?"

She scoffed. "No! That big test in history is today and I didn't study for it! Shows how much I pay attention."

I smiled. "Don't worry, I'll help you study over lunch." It was amazing how I could slip into being normal again. I thought when I first came back to Boston that I would never be able to live life without looking over my shoulder for assassins or answer a door without pulling out a gun. But, I had accomplished both. The only tie I had left to my former life was my packages from Roy and June, along with a few letters from my boyfriend, Simon.

Ah yes, Simon. We'd only been dating for a few months, and were closer than I've ever been with a guy. He was working at a top-secret lab miles away, and the few letters and discreet phone calls were the only forms of contact I had with him. I was surprised that Isabel had even allowed me to keep in contact with Simon. Maybe it helped him cooperate or something.

"August? August, are you paying any attention to what I'm saying?" I jumped back into reality.

"Oh sorry, I was in my own world. What did you say?"

"I was talking about that black car. I saw it again today. It doesn't belong to any of the neighbors; I checked. Do you think it's watching something? I noticed it at school one day."

"Um, I don't think so," I bluffed. "You probably saw two different cars. Come on Blaire, this is Boston. Nothing exciting happens around here."

Blaire laughed. "Yeah, I know. Except in July when you and June were kidnapped. That was the most exciting thing in years. Speaking of June, how's her therapy going?"

The cover story behind June's disappearance was that she had been very traumatized by our "kidnapping" and had checked herself into a rehabilitation center for an unknown amount of time. I was staying with April while she recovered.

"It's going well," I said. "She's made a couple of breakthroughs, but has a long way to go still."

"Oh. Well, that's good." She was quiet for a moment. "August, what really happened those couple of weeks? You were like here for a day, then you vanished again. And for a long time, no one could even see you. Why was that?"

I sighed. Blaire was becoming more inquisitive by the day. "Blaire, you know I can't tell you anymore details until the guy is caught and a trial is held."

"I know, but I'm your best friend. It's not like I'm going to go to some reporter and give them a tell-all story. I'll keep it a secret. I promise."

I hated keeping secrets from Blaire. She was almost like a sister to me and I usually told her everything. But, I had to protect her from any knowledge of my brief time as a fugitive. "I can't tell you, though. It's well, it's complicated."

"Fine." Blaire became silent. I blew out a breath. I had to make things better somehow.

"Hey, April and Ben are leaving on their honeymoon tomorrow. They'll only be gone for a few days, but I'm going to be pretty lonely housesitting all by myself. What if you spent the night one night and kept me company? I already asked, they don't care."

My friend seemed to light up. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"All right, I'll have to ask my dad, though."

"Okay." I smiled to myself as we continued to walk to school. I had avoided telling Blaire anything again, and her mind was off those mysterious couple of weeks for the time being. Life was great once more.

_Unknown CIA Facility_

Simon Feck logged onto his computer, yawning as he typed in his password. It was another boredom-filled day in his lab. His small, cramped, untidy lab. _Only three more years, _he thought to himself. _Then I can be with her again. _He looked over at the photo sitting on his desk. It was the picture he had taken of August dancing in Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg. It kept her memory fresh in his mind as he worked.

He left the computer for a moment and went to his worktable that held the parts of the almost completed Zephyr 2.0. He was certain that he had gotten it right this time. He had created a microchip that controlled the whole battery, including the temperature. It wouldn't blow up like his last one did. All that was left to do was put the parts together and finish it up. First though, Simon had to finish another project.

He reached into a drawer of his worktable and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he pulled out a silver chain, two heart-shaped pieces of metal, and a small peridot stone. _Her birthstone. _Their two month anniversary was only a few days away, and he wanted to do something special. Also, it was sort of a late birthday present. So, he was making a necklace for her. Simon had planned to buy her a piece of jewelry, but Director George wouldn't let him leave the lab just to buy "some trinket for his pain-in-the-neck girlfriend."

Simon had to laugh at how August had frankly ticked off Director George over the past few months. According to the director, she was refusing to cooperate, no matter how much she was threatened. Simon believed that August didn't know where Roy and June were, but the director thought she was lying. _"I know Miller too well. He would never leave that girl behind without some means of communication," _Isabel had said. He shook away his thoughts of Isabel and focused on his present for his girl.

Within an hour, the peridot stone was fixed into the middle of one of the hearts. Simon's plan was to weld the two hearts together to form a locket. He was going to put a picture of himself inside. He figured it was a pretty good present. All he had to do was figure out how to make it open and shut easily. That could wait until later. Some progress had to be made on the new Zephyr before Isabel checked up on him again.

He began to put together the pieces of his baby, smiling to himself while he worked. This was his element. It was where he belonged. The parts easily slid into each other until finally there was a whole battery. Well, except for the microchip. It still had some work to do on it.

He laid the Zephyr back down on his worktable and went back to his desk to send an email to the director about the progress he had made. Simon knew that he had made this battery a whole lot faster than the last one, but all he really had to do was fix the temperature problem. Everything else had worked just fine. Hopefully after he finished this project, Isabel wouldn't give him any more projects for a while. Maybe she'd let him use the satellite phone to call August. He hadn't talked to her in at least two weeks. _Some boyfriend I am. _

Simon quietly picked up August's picture, kissed his finger, and placed the finger on her lips. It was as close as a real kiss that he could get. "I miss you," he whispered. "Every day."

~*O*~

_Barcelona, Spain_

Raul Quintana paced around the office of his Barcelona home. Time was running out if he was going to step up and be the leader of his family's company. After Antonio, his older brother, had died, the entire business went to shambles. Fights broke out between numerous members of his family for power over the arms dealings. Some relatives had been killed. But, most of all, the Quintanas were looking for revenge.

He picked up a knife off his desk, aimed, and threw it at a target on the wall. The point went neatly into a picture of Roy Miller. Next, he threw another one at a photo of August Havens, which also found its mark. He calmed himself down after hitting June Havens and Simon Feck. Raul smiled as he walked up to the picture of Simon. Simon was the piece to his plan.

The Zephyr was a huge loss to the company, but Raul had heard plans about a new one being completed at a lab in Arkansas in America. He knew that if he stole it successfully, he could easily become the head of the family business. There would be no question about it. All he had to do was get a team together (which he already had), fly to America (tickets were already booked), and break into the facility and steal the Zephyr and if needed, the young scientist who had built it. It also helped that he had someone who could throw off the heat of such a venture.

"Cristina?" he called. The door opened and a beautiful young woman with streaming blond hair walked in.

"_Si, Raul?" _she asked. Raul had to smile. At first glance, she was a perfect match to August Havens. The CIA would arrest her for the crime, especially since Cristina could imitate August's voice.

"Is everything ready?"

"Yes," Cristina answered with a crisp Boston accent. "All we are waiting on is you."

"Perfect." Raul got his bag and followed the girl outside to where a helicopter was waiting to take them to the family's airport. _Checkmate, Roy. _

_**End of chapter 1! Sorry that I couldn't get a trailer together, but I had problems making it seem like a real movie trailer without revealing too much. If I figure it out, I'll put it on the end of this story. So, what do you all think? Will Raul get his revenge on our favorite characters? Will Simon and August ever be together again? Will Blaire find out August's secrets? Will Roy and June ever reappear? Well, you'll have to keep reading and reviewing to find out! Bye, everyone!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Unknown CIA Facility_

_Arkansas, U.S.A_

Simon sat at his worktable, slowly putting the final pieces of the microchip together. "There," he said with a smile. "All done." He stepped back to look at his masterpiece. All of the last few months were worth it now. _Maybe I'll finally be able to talk to August._ He could hear her excited voice already.

First, he had to tell Director George that the project was complete. Then, maybe she would let him talk to his girlfriend as a reward. He was just about to send the director an email when alarm bells began shrieking. Startled, Simon fell out of his chair. "What the…" He ran to his other computer. "Pull up security footage," he ordered. The computer obeyed and the monitor revealed something shocking and horrifying.

There was a group of seven people waltzing their way through the hallways towards his workshop/small apartment, shooting anyone in sight, including other normal scientists like him. But, it was the blond leading the group that shocked him. "August?" he asked.

"_He's this way-I received a layout of the place in one of his letters," _the blond said. Instantly, he knew it wasn't his girlfriend. For one, her Boston accent was more clipped, like it was overdone. Second, he had never told August anything about his lab for her protection. _It's a trap. _

"Run facial recognition," he told the computer as he quickly initiated the electronic locks on his doors. If they had the right equipment, they could get in, but he doubted it. _ I'll have a little time. _The facial recognition popped up on his screen. Simon gasped when he saw the photo.

"Raul Quintana…younger brother of Antonio Quintana…very dangerous." He looked closely at the young man who was clearly in charge.

"_Once we get our hands on the new Zephyr, nothing can stop us!" _Raul said with a grin.

"_But, Simon is not to be harmed," _the blond put in. That just proved that it wasn't August. If it was really her, Simon knew that most likely she would say something along the lines of "if you hurt my boyfriend, I'll make sure you pay for it" or something similar.

_They're trying to frame her. But, why? _He needed to focus on protecting the Zephyr 2.0. If Raul got a hold of it, it would be catastrophic. Especially since it was fixed. _What should I do?_

His eyes landed on the microchip sitting on the worktable. _If they don't have the microchip, it won't work. It will explode just like the last one. _Desperately, Simon grabbed the small chip. _I have to hide it. _But, there weren't many places in his workshop. If they started flipping stuff over, it would be easy to find. Then, an idea popped in his head.

He quickly got August's necklace and his small welding torch. He wrapped the microchip in some packaging, put it inside one heart, and began souldering the other heart on top of the first. _It won't be a locket, but it will keep the Zephyr safe. _Already, Raul's men were working on his door. Simon shoved the necklace inside an envelope, put the address of August's fake P.O. box on it, slapped a stamp on, and sent it down the mail chute. It was mail pickup right now, so it would leave right away. "Keep it safe, August," he whispered. Right as the slot clanged shut, the door burst open, allowing Raul and the blond girl to come strolling in.

The blond smiled at him. "Hello, Simon. Did you miss me?"

~*O*~

_Boston, Massachusetts_

_Three Days Later_

I walked into the post office and towards my box. Reaching underneath my shirt, I pulled out a chain that contained both my mother's locket and my box key. I unlocked it and found one solitary envelope. I smiled when I saw the official looking envelope. Quickly, I locked up my box and started heading home. This post office was four blocks away from my apartment, so it was a good walk back.

The September air was starting to chill, so I drew my zip-up jacket closer around me. _I'll read it when I get home. _I was walking briskly, trying to get back sooner so I could get out of the weather. I needed to get back sooner anyway since April and Ben were leaving on their honeymoon today and I wanted to tell them goodbye. Just then, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head and noticed the black sedan following me.

"Crap," I muttered. I continued to walk slowly, hoping that the driver didn't realize I had seen him. _Oh no, he saw me leave the post office! They'll start looking and find out I've been in contact with Roy and June! _I knew I needed to get out of there, so I searched for any exits. An alleyway nearby caught my eye. I silently counted to three before sprinting down the alley, not looking back.

"August, stop! I just want to talk!" a voice shouted. I paid it no mind and continued to run. I had mapped out this area before, so I knew how to get home by using the alleys. Besides, it would be harder to track me through the crowded areas. Once I was a little further away, I slowed my pace. I was scared that they would find my P.O. box and start looking into where I had received letters from. Then, they would find Roy and June.

Roy didn't mail their letters from their actual location, instead faking the stamp so it looked like it was from Brazil or something. I didn't even know for sure where they were, but I had a sneaking suspicion that they were in Cape Horn. Maybe June had finally gotten to make her dream come true. I just hoped that I wasn't about to ruin it for her. I thought about sending them a letter back to tell them the address wasn't secure, but now I couldn't send anything since that agent would probably track me.

I managed to make it back to the apartment without being followed. "April? April, I'm home!" I called. There was no answer. _That's weird. _My face went stark white. _Would Isabel take them to get me to cooperate? No, that's crazy. She thinks that they don't know anything about what really happened. _I went to the kitchen table and found a note. I picked it up and read it aloud.

_Hi August!_

_Sorry we aren't home-Ben found an earlier flight to the island so we decided to take it. We should be at the airport by the time you get home from school. Have Blaire come over if you want some company. You know the drill-no boys, no parties, no opening the door for strangers, etc. I left some money if you want to order takeout one night. Ben or I will call once we land-but we'll have spotty signal on the island. We'll be back by Monday. Love you!_

_April_

I sighed in relief. My cousins were safe. Now, I could focus my attention on my letter from Simon. I looked down at the letter clutched in my hand, not even realizing I had practically crumpled it in my flight from the post office. I dropped the envelope on the table and saw that there was another letter with it with a foreign stamp on it. I smiled and opened it first. _I'll save the best for last._ The very first thing I saw surprised me.

It was a photo of Roy and June on a beach smiling like little schoolgirls and wrapped in each other's arms. I saw June was wearing a white strapless dress and had a ring on her left hand. "Oh no, they didn't…" I pulled out the letter with it.

_Dear August,_

_As you can probably tell, Roy and I got married today. I know we promised to wait until you could be with us, but that can't happen. You have a future in Boston and there are agents monitoring you around the clock. There is no physical way to have you join us…_

I paused to take a bowl sitting on the counter and throw it across the room in anger. _I could get out of the country if I wanted to! I've done it before! _I proceeded to keep reading.

…_We miss you greatly and Roy feels terrible that we left you behind in Boston. He hopes you received the watch and that his friend installed your birthday present properly… _I smiled. "That he did." _ …Roy wants you to know that he's proud of you for keeping in contact with us even though it's very dangerous. I've included plenty of pictures from the wedding and we're planning on renewing our vows if by chance we may ever reunite. _

_Love, from both of us_

I put down the letter and got the rest of the pictures. June looked stunning and happier than I'd ever seen her. Roy had a goofy grin on his face for most of them. I gathered up all of the photos and hid them in my secret box. Then, I decided to get Simon's note. The first thing that fell out was a silver necklace. I gasped as I picked it up. A small heart charm hung off the delicate chain. My birthstone (peridot) was in the center of the charm. A scrap of paper came out next.

"Happy Anniversary, August. I love you. Simon," I read. "Oh my gosh…" I unclasped the necklace and let the heart slide off. Then, I slid it onto my own necklace, where it joined the locket and the key. I shook my head. "He's one in a million." I lit a match and burned the two envelopes and put the notes in my box before heading into our rec room.

April, Ben, and I had moved into my and June's townhouse after June left. Roy had arranged for a friend of his to make a rec room in the basement. We all loved it, but it did have some quirks. I threw open the game closet and moved some stuff aside. _If those agents are going to come after me, I'm going to be ready. _I found the secret panel and lightly pressed it. The board game shelves moved aside to reveal my armory. Yes, I have an armory. It was my present from Roy.

I brushed my fingers against the smooth metal of all the beautiful weapons. _What to choose? _I found my favorite gun. It was a Smith & Wesson 5309 pistol with vines engraved on the slide and my initials placed on the grip. _Roy knows how to win me over. _I loaded a fresh magazine into it and smiled when I heard the click. "I've missed that sound," I said aloud with a laugh.

I stuck the gun in a holster on my thigh and put some sweats on over it so the bulge wouldn't show. I gently touched the coin-shaped scar on my right thigh. Fitz would always leave his mark on me. I would never forget that day. I pulled myself out of my painful memories and went to call Blaire. I wanted to have someone with me, especially since Blaire was a civilian. Isabel would probably do everything in her power to prevent Blaire from knowing that I was connected to the CIA. I grinned as I dialed my friend's number.

"Hi, Blaire! Want to have a sleepover?"

~*O*~

_Cape Horn_

Roy stepped outside the bungalow where he and his new wife June were staying. He smiled as he looked over at her sleeping figure. _Who would've thought that the stone-cold Roy Miller would be won over by a normal civilian? _But, June Havens-Miller was not a normal civilian. She had proved that she wasn't one in July when she was practically forced to become a fugitive to keep her and her cousin August safe.

He sighed. He really did miss August. He felt horrible that June had left her behind where the CIA could easily snatch her up and torture her about their location. But, the sixteen year old was smart. She had figured out how to keep in touch with them and protect her secrets. August would be safe, he knew. At least for now.

He walked down the beach and dove into the ocean for a late night swim. When he surfaced, a bright light shone in his eyes. Panicked, he was about to dive back under, but then he realized it was June holding a flashlight. "You could've at least asked me to join you," she called.

Roy shook his head. "Come on in, then." His wife smiled and took off her robe to reveal the red bikini from the Azores.

"I wanted to reminisce a little," she explained as she stepped into the water. "My gosh, it's so cold!"

"It was winter here only a few months ago," Roy replied. "And we are close to Antarctica."

"I still didn't expect it to be so cold!" June cried. She crossed her arms across her chest, shivering.

"Well, why don't I warm you up?" Roy swam over and wrapped his arms around her. June sighed.

"Much better," she whispered. The two of them stood there for a moment, listening to the waves crash against the sand. Cape Horn was a great location, and they both loved living here. Sure, there were a lot of storms and it had been freezing the first few weeks when they arrived, but the views were breathtaking and the weather had started to warm up.

Roy knew he was stepping on eggshells, but decided to take a risk. "Do you know what would make this place even better?"

"Mmmm…what?" June murmured.

"If August was here," Roy answered.

June lifted her head from his shoulder. "Roy, you know that's impossible. We've already discussed this numerous times."

"I know…but it's dangerous for her to be on her own in Boston. Isabel will wear her down eventually. It's only a matter of time until she'll be forced into the agency or arrested."

She was silent, and Roy knew that she was thinking. "Babe, I want August here as much as you do. But she has a future in Boston. She can go to college, get a job, get married…she can have a normal life. I don't want her to have to live a life on the run like we do."

"I know, but she could be getting tortured or…I don't want to know."

June put her arms around him and looked into his eyes. "Roy, she'll be fine. From what her letters say, Isabel hasn't really interrogated her. Besides, August is smart. You've told me that yourself. She can get herself out of any situation." She saw that he didn't believe her. "Our life is too dangerous for a teenage girl." She got out of the water and walked towards the bungalow. "I'm going back to bed."

"I'll be there in a minute," Roy answered. He remained standing at the water's edge, staring out at the waves. "She needs to be with us. Her life is still in danger away from us."

~*O*~

_Mediterranean Sea_

Simon tried to ignore the aches and pains all over his body as he bent over his worktable. The rocking of the boat he was on didn't help his weak stomach, either. Raul had been furious to discover that the one part that made the Zephyr 2.0 work was now missing and the young scientist had refused to admit where it was. So, he had ordered his men to beat up Simon with poor results. He still wouldn't tell where the microchip was and wasn't going to build another one. _I'd rather die than let him get his hands on this. _

So, he was pretending to be working on a microchip hoping they would leave him alone, but knowing if they found out he would be dead. He didn't care. If he died, the microchip would be safe with his girlfriend, even if she didn't know it.

The door opened and August's doppelgänger walked in. Simon knew that her name was Cristina, but nothing else. "Hello, Simon," she said smoothly. "Are you hard at work?"

"Yes," Simon replied. "Now leave me alone. It should be finished in a few days."

"I'm afraid that my employer doesn't have a few days. He wants it completed in twenty-four hours."

"I'm sorry about the wait, but with these tools and materials, I need three days minimum to finish."

"All right…but what about your girlfriend?"

That got Simon's attention. He immediately looked up. "What are you talking about?"

Cristina pulled something out of her pocket. It was the picture from his desk back in the States. "By now, she should be in jail for the theft of the Zephyr and your kidnapping. But, Raul has friends in many places. He could arrange an…accident of sorts."

His blood began to boil. "If you hurt her, you will never get your microchip. I can promise you that."

"Well, you better get busy then, Simon. Or I can promise you, she will get hurt."

She shut the door behind her, leaving the young man in shock. She smiled and turned to Raul. "You were right. August Havens is his weak spot."

Raul smirked. "Of course she is. Where is her current location?"

"Boston, sir."

"Then we will have to arrange a reunion. Call Jorge for me. I need him to run a little errand in Boston."

~*O*~

_Boston, Massachusetts_

There was a knock on the door and I ran to answer it. "Coming!" I called. I ran down the stairs to the foyer and opened it. It was Blaire, just like I expected. "Hey!" I greeted.

"Hi! Don't worry, I packed a bag full of stuff to do. I brought nail polish-figured we could do manis and pedis, plenty of sweets, our recipe book (you need to give me April's brownie recipe, by the way), and a ton of movies. We are totally prepared."

"Please tell me you packed _some _action movies," I pleaded.

"Yeah, I brought _Mission: Impossible _and _Raiders of the Lost Ark._ Can we fast forward the part where the Nazis' faces melt off, though?"

I laughed. "Sure. That part is pretty creepy, anyway." I wasn't going to mention that I could only watch that part when Ben was in the room with me.

"…I don't even know why you like all those spy movies," Blaire said.

"Hey, a movie isn't a movie unless there's someone shooting at someone else," I retorted. "All that mushy romance stuff gets to me after a while." It was true. I almost clawed my eyes out the last time April sat me down for a romantic comedy marathon. I could stand one or two, but after that I was done.

"Okay, why don't I go start a movie in the rec room and you can make popcorn?" Blaire suggested.

"All right, sounds good." I went into the kitchen and put a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Then, I got two Pepsis out of the fridge and stood against the counter to wait on the popcorn to finish popping. Once it was done, I poured it into a bowl and carried it downstairs to where Blaire had made herself comfortable on the couch. I just placed the bowl and sodas on the coffee table and sat down in the beanbag chair. "What did you put in?"

"_Mission: Impossible, _of course. You know we always start off our sleepovers with that."

I smiled. "Yes, we do."

We finished up the popcorn by the time Ethan Hunt had made it back to his apartment and was having a strange dream. I knew this part by heart, so I volunteered to take the bowl upstairs. "Don't pause it," I said as I went up the stairs.

"Got it," Blaire replied.

I got upstairs and put the bowl in the sink. I was about to go back to the rec room when I heard a knock on the door. Calmly, I took my gun out of its holster and crept down the foyer. I looked into the peephole and gasped. It was Isabel, along with a lot of other agents. _Oh, no… _I quietly backed away and back down the stairs, locking the door behind me and turning off the stairwell light.

"August?" Blaire called. "August, is that you?" I ran down the stairs and covered her mouth, causing her to scream. Luckily, my hand muffled it.

"Blaire, shhh! It's just me!" I uncovered her mouth.

"What the heck is wrong with you? You scared me half to death!" she cried.

"Shhh, I'll explain in a bit. But right now…" I hurried to my armory and threw it open, tossing out a bag filled with various things. "I knew I'd need this someday…" I muttered. I grabbed two bulletproof vests. "Blaire, put this on," I ordered, handing it to her. She held it like it was coated in acid.

"August…why do you have bulletproof vests? And…are those guns?" I put on my vest and turned around, clutching her shoulders.

"I know that you're scared and don't know what's going on, but all you need to know is that door is going to burst open and bullets will start flying. So, put this on…" I helped her buckle the straps of her vest. "…and get behind the couch. I'll handle the rest." I flipped the couch over and sat Blaire behind it. "Just stay down and cover your head," I said.

I quickly pulled out two shotguns and plenty of ammo. I placed the boxes and guns beside Blaire and put in a pair of earplugs. I was prepared. _If you guys are after me, I'm going down fighting!_ I wasn't planning on killing anyone tonight, just threatening and wounding people if I had to. I hated shooting people, and I knew I would get in big trouble for injuring or killing a federal agent. I loaded both guns and sat in wait. Blaire lay whimpering beside me.

"Auggie…" she sobbed, using the nickname she had made up when we were kids. "Just let me call my dad. He can help us."

"Blaire, I'm afraid no one can help us right now." Just then, the door burst open and an object rolled in. My eyes grew wide. "Get down!" I ordered, throwing us both to the floor. A bright flash exploded behind my eyes. _Flash grenade, just like I thought. _My ears were ringing, and I struggled to remain in balance. But, I soon grew back in control, grabbed a shotgun, and began firing. Sure enough, the men in combat gear stayed back. "You want to take me, Isabel?" I screamed. "Well, the only way I'm leaving here is in a body bag!"

I saw a glimpse of the director. "August, if you put your weapon down now, I will overlook this incident," she replied calmly. "No one is hurt, and I'd like it to remain that way."

"Who are these people?" Blaire asked, on the verge of losing it. "August, who are these people?" I was too busy thinking of how to escape to answer her. Then, it hit me. I got my pistol, grabbed Blaire, and pulled her up, my gun (with safety on) to her side. She instantly started screaming bloody murder.

"Now," I said steadily. "If you don't want this girl killed, you will let me leave _right now!"_

"August, please let me go!" Blaire shrieked. "Please!"

Isabel had reached the front of the men in combat gear. "You don't have to do this, August. Let the girl go. Besides, I know you wouldn't shoot your friend."

I was shocked that she knew who Blaire was, but couldn't comprehend it because all of a sudden, I was yanked away from Blaire, who collapsed as soon as I let go, and pulled into the grip of one of Isabel's men. My gun clattered to the ground. _Great, now I have no leverage. _I wasn't going to shoot her, only try to escape using a hostage. Well, I guess that didn't work.

I was dragged up the stairs followed by another man half-carrying Blaire. She hadn't said anything, but kept her head down, her light brown hair falling in her face. As we were taken from the townhouse, I subtly pushed the panic button on my watch, hopefully triggering my tracking beacon. _Come and find me, _I thought.

We were brought to a black SUV where Isabel was waiting for us. I was pushed into the middle and Blaire on the other side of me and the door slammed shut. As soon as it did, Blaire began to panic. "August, what's happening? Why did you point a gun at me? Where are we going?" She looked at Isabel. "You can't hold me. This is kidnapping! I want a lawyer."

"Blaire," I said reassuringly. "It's okay. We'll be all right. I'll explain what's happening in a minute." I glared at the director. "You didn't have to bring her. I've kept my prior life a secret from everyone for two months. Now, she has to know." I sighed. "What do you need from me now? It must be pretty big since you brought the SWAT team in."

Isabel was still calm. "August, three days ago, there was a theft at a secret lab in Arkansas. The lab that Simon works at."

My heart began pounding. I knew something was very wrong. "Is he okay? Did they hurt him? Who were they?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Isabel asked.

I was shocked. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't play the concerned girlfriend part to me. You were there, August. Don't deny it."

"No, I wasn't. I was right here in Boston. I went to school…no, there was a vacation day that day. I stayed home all day. You can call April. She'll vouch for me."

Isabel didn't believe me. "August, we have security footage of you at the lab." A monitor turned on, showing a blond girl that looked a lot like me in a group of Hispanic looking men rushing down a hallway, shooting anyone that got in her way. One of the men made me look twice.

"He's a Quintana, isn't he?" I asked. My face went white. "They're trying to frame me," I realized. "Can't you see?" I cried. "They're mad at me and Roy for killing Antonio! That's why that chick is there. She's there to frame me."

The director still didn't believe me. "I understand what you did, August. You obviously missed your boyfriend enough to break him out. But, allying with a dangerous arms dealer to do it? And allowing the theft of an object of critical importance? That can be considered treason, a very grave offense. So, just tell me where Simon is. I can lessen your sentence if you do."

"Isabel, I have no idea what you're talking about. I would never betray my country, even for Simon. Now please, can you just let us…"

A loud crash was heard as something hit the back of our vehicle. We were all thrown forward, Blaire screaming once again. Then, bullets began flying through the back window, hitting the agent in the passenger seat. He fell back, dead. I covered my mouth in horror.

"Get down!" Isabel demanded. I obeyed at once, ducking down and bringing Blaire with me.

"August, who are the Quintanas? What do they want with you?" Blaire whispered urgently. I couldn't really answer since I was trying to not get shot.

I looked at Isabel. "Look, I didn't help the Quintanas out. I care about Simon, but I wouldn't even think about breaking him out. And I would never allow the theft of an important object. Do you understand? I promise you, I'm not lying."

Isabel opened her mouth to answer, but a bullet went right into her forehead. Blaire completely lost it while I could only stare in shock. "Oh my gosh…" I said. I knew she was dead. No one could survive a shot to the head. Then, the driver slumped over in his seat after a bullet hit him in the back. The SUV started to veer out of control. I leaned over the driver's seat to try to keep us from getting killed. _Well, this is déjà vu. _

"What are we going to do?" Blaire wailed. "We're going to die, aren't we?"

"Blaire, we're not going to die. I've been through a lot worse than this."

I glanced behind us and saw another SUV coming up on us very quickly. "You might want to hold on," I warned. The other car hit our back end. I gasped as I tried to regain control. Then, another one came up on our left side and slammed into us. Blaire screamed while I attempted to remain calm. We were jammed between the bridge over the Charles River and the two SUV's. The one on our left moved away and I tried to make a break for it. I had just turned towards the interstate when we were hit hard, flying through the air. I lost my grip on the wheel and reached for Blaire. I watched as the river got closer and closer. "Take a deep breath!" I ordered. She clutched onto my hand as the water closed around us.

We landed in the river with a huge splash, sinking until we hit the bottom. Blaire was panicking again. "We're going to die!" she shrieked. "We're going to die!"

I smacked her across the face. "We are not going to die," I said angrily. "There is still a way out of this, understand me? I do not give up easily." Water was already pouring into the car and I knew that we needed to get out of there very quickly. I grabbed Blaire's hand and led her out the blown out back window. We swam upward as fast as we could, trying to reach the surface. My lungs were burning by the time I broke it. I gulped in fresh air, not even realizing that spotlights were beamed on us.

"Is that rescue?" Blaire put in hopefully. A bunch of men on boats around us pulled out machine guns, aiming them at both me and Blaire.

"Nope," I answered. I put my hands up and my friend did the same.

A man stepped out from the rest of the well-armed group. "Get on the boat, Miss Havens," he said with a defined Spanish accent.

"Why should I?" I replied. "It seems like you want to kill me. Why not do it here so you won't get your boat dirty?"

"Get on the boat," the man said. "Or we'll shoot your friend." I saw Blaire being pulled out of the water and a gun put to her head.

"August…" she said worriedly. "I think you should do what he says."

I nodded and swam to the ladder leading onto the boat. I got up and instantly was knocked to the ground. I grunted in pain when I hit the hard deck. "Search her for weapons," the Hispanic man ordered. One of the men patted me down, but found nothing. I didn't have anything left on me since my pistol had been left behind at the townhouse.

"What do you want with us?" I asked. "I know you're not with the CIA."

The main guy smirked. "In due time, Miss Havens. In due time."

Something hard hit me on the back of the head and I started to feel woozy. "August!" Blaire cried. One of the bad guys caught me and dragged me down a set of steps into a small room. There was a pole in the middle of the room and Blaire and I were led to it. The guys sat us down, then handcuffed our arms around the pole. They left us alone after that. Soon enough, the boat started up and we sped down the river.

"August, please tell me what's going on," Blaire pleaded.

I opened my mouth to answer her, but the room began to spin. Before I could say anything, the world faded to black…

_**End of chapter 2! Okay, so August and Blaire have been captured by Raul's men (Yes, that's who they are.) What will happen in these next few chapters? Well, they'll definitely be interesting, I'll promise you that! Keep reading and reviewing everyone!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_Unknown Location_

I groggily opened my eyes and saw sunlight streaming through the window. _Where am I? _I sat up and noticed I had been lying on a cot. Blaire was lying on one next to me. I leaned over and shook her. "Blaire, get up," I whispered.

"Five more minutes," she muttered. I sighed and shook her again.

"We might not have five more minutes," I retorted. I was surprised that we weren't restrained in any way, but the door had to be locked. I went to it and gasped when the knob turned in my hand. _What is going on? _I ran back to Blaire. "Wake up," I ordered. She blearily opened her eyes.

"What, August?"

"We've got to get out of here. The door's unlocked. Maybe we can escape."

"Escape from what?"

I looked her right in the eye. "Look, I know that you're disoriented and confused, and have no idea what's happening. But right now, we need to get out of here and escape. Okay?"

Blaire still seemed out of it, but nodded anyway. I quietly swung the door open and found no guards patrolling the hallways. _Where are we? _The floor was rocking beneath our feet. _A boat? _We climbed up a set of stairs and found ourselves on the top deck of a big yacht. "What the…" I trailed off.

We were on this big white pristine yacht sailing over a bright blue sea. I recognized some of the coastline from travel magazines April had been obsessed over. "This is the Mediterranean," I stated. "We're in Europe."

Blaire seemed stunned. "You mean that we're not in the U.S. anymore?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

I scanned the yacht for any means of escape, but found none. I did see a couple of lifeboats on the starboard side, though. There were guards all over, but they didn't come running at us like we had broken out. "What is going on here?" I mused.

"Ah, Miss Havens, and her friend." My blood ran cold in my veins. I recognized that voice. I turned around and saw a man I thought was dead.

"Antonio Quintana?" I cried. "But, you're dead!"

The young man laughed. "No, I am not Antonio. But, I am his younger brother. Excuse my manners. I am Raul Quintana." He offered his hand for us to shake.

"Holy crap, he's hot!" Blaire blurted under her breath. I stifled a laugh, but kept my composure.

"And who is this?" Raul asked, nodding at her.

"Umm…my friend, Blaire."

He smiled, using the charms he must have inherited from his brother. "Nice to meet you." I had to figure out why we were here.

"Well Raul, you obviously want something from me. What is it?" I asked. "Revenge for your brother's death, maybe?"

"Actually no, Miss Havens. Have you heard of the Zephyr 2.0?"

_So that's what this is about. Simon created another one. _"No. I'm guessing that my boyfriend created another version?"

"Yes, he did. But unfortunately, he is refusing to comply with my demands. That's why you're here."

_Of course he wouldn't. Simon would never go along with this. _"So, I must be the leverage in this equation, then."

Raul smiled evilly. "You're smarter than my brother thought you were."

I smiled back. "Thank you."

Blaire was confused. "Who's Simon? And who's Antonio?"

Raul turned his attention to her. "She doesn't know the story?" he asked me.

"No," I answered. "She's a civilian. Why should she?"

He just shook his head and grinned. "Of course, Miss Havens. Why don't you ladies get dressed and join me for breakfast. You must be hungry."

"All right," I replied. _I'll play your game for now, Raul. But don't expect me to stay here long._

Blaire and I went back to our room where sure enough, there were two dresses laying on our cots. I went to take one, but Blaire caught my wrist. "August, I want you to explain to me what happened right now."

I bit my lip. I couldn't keep avoiding this. "Okay, sit down." She did at once. "Well, it started when June and I were coming back from Wichita. We ran into this guy at the airport. Once we got on the plane, we learned his name: Roy Miller."

And so, I explained everything to her: the plane crash, the car chase through Boston, our "kidnapping" from the pie shop, Brooklyn, our first encounter with Antonio's men, Roy's island, my 24 hours on my own, the train through the Alps, Salzburg, Roy's "death", meeting Roy's parents, me getting shot and almost dying in Spain, and breaking Roy out of the hospital. By the time I was finished, Blaire's mouth was hanging wide open.

"Wow," she said. "And all of that happened within a week?"

"Most of it," I admitted. "But, we have to focus on staying alive, okay? Raul is playing a game with us and for now we need to obey the rules. But eventually…"

"We're going to break them?" Blaire asked.

I smiled. "Exactly."

We got dressed in the sundresses laid out for us. They weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be, only a little tight to our skin. I pulled my hair back into my usual ponytail and Blaire left her wavy hair down around her shoulders. We went back up onto the top deck to find a big spread of food on a table set up. Raul was sitting patiently at the head of it. "Sorry we took so long," I apologized. "We girls take a long time to get ready."

"It's all right," he answered. "Have a seat." We both obeyed, sitting across from each other. "Feel free to help yourselves."

I was cautious about what I picked, taking food with more protein that would keep me full longer. I wasn't sure when our next meal would be. Blaire just took about everything, but she could do that and wouldn't gain a pound. I hated her metabolism. "So…" I started. "I'm guessing that Simon is being a little frustrating?"

"Well, there is a crucial part of the new Zephyr that is missing. I was hoping that with your help, you could…persuade him to either tell me where it is or make a new one."

_No! I would never do that! Not even if it is my life hanging in the balance! _But, I remembered Blaire. _He never meant to take Blaire. She's only a liability, unlike me. One slip, and she could be killed. _I nodded. "Sure. When can I see him?"

Raul seemed pleased. "After we're finished eating."

Once we were done, Raul cleared his throat. "I'm afraid that your friend will have to stay in your room. I can't have her knowing everything about my yacht."

I glanced over at Blaire, but she only gave me a slight smile. "I'll be fine," she said. One of the guards came to escort her back downstairs. I turned back to Raul.

"All right, I'm ready," I told him.

"Good," he replied. "There is one thing, though." He pulled out a black bag. "For security reasons."

I shook my head. "Of course," I muttered. I took the bag and put it over my head. Raul took my arm and started leading me away. I tried to memorize the path we took, but I had a feeling he was taking me all over the yacht to confuse me. Eventually, I heard a door open, the bag was torn off, and I was pushed into a room.

"Five minutes," Raul ordered before shutting the door. I blinked a couple of times, trying to get used to the lighting. Then, I saw him. He looked horrible, like he hadn't slept in weeks. And, I thought I noticed some bruising around his eye. _What have they done to him?_

"Simon," I whispered. "Simon!"

He looked up and about fell out of his chair. I had a way of doing that to him. "August?" He rubbed his eyes, like he couldn't believe it. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me! What do you think, I'm a hallucination or something?"

He smiled. "It's definitely you. What are you doing here? They promised they wouldn't hurt you!"

"Look, I don't have much time, but I'm here because apparently you're not cooperating. And I have a feeling that they kidnapped me to be used as leverage. Probably if you don't do what they want, they'll kill me." I fought the urge not to shudder or appear scared, which I was. "But, you are not going to give them what they want," I continued.

"What? Of course I am!" Simon yelled. He clutched my shoulders. "August, I'm not going to lose you. I've almost lost you once before, and I won't let it happen again!"

I tried to remain brave, thinking of my dad's words. "Simon, I know that you're working on a new Zephyr, one that actually works. If that thing gets into Raul's hands, he'll sell it to the highest bidder. Then, it will be used to hurt millions of people. Wouldn't it be better if only I died instead of millions of others?" I was attempting to talk quietly in case Raul was watching.

"August…" Simon trailed.

I put a finger on his lips. "They brought Blaire with me. She wasn't meant to come. She's easily expendable, and I'm not going to let her die." I paused then leaned in close to his ear. "I'm going to try to escape. We all are going to escape. So, at least try to slow down the process? Break a tool or something. They might have to go to shore to get a new one. Then we could hop off and get away."

"You know you're crazy, right?"

"I know," I replied. "That's why you fell in…like with me." I never could say the "L" word. I guess I was waiting until we had been in a relationship longer. _My life probably won't last that long. _

"This is probably a stupid question, but did you get my present?"

"The necklace? Yeah, I did. I'm wearing it right now." I pulled out the chain to show him.

"That's great," he answered. I could tell that there was something wrong.

"Simon, what's…" I was cut off by Raul coming back into the room.

"Time's up," he said. "Simon, as you can see, your girlfriend is fine. But, if you don't do what I want, she will get hurt. Understand me?"

"He'll make a new one," I put in. "I made him promise on my life."

"Yes, I will," Simon replied. "But the thing is…one of my tools broke. I really need another one to finish the microchip." _A microchip-is that what this is all about?_

Raul seemed angry. "Fine. What kind do you need?" Simon proceeded to tell him all about this tool he broke. I had never heard of it before, but figured that he knew what he was talking about. Raul put the bag back on my head and led me back down the hallway. "Very good, Miss Havens. You managed to convince Simon to help me. I think you deserve a reward."

"Oh, Raul…I don't need a reward," I tried to say.

"Nonsense, Miss Havens. I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. You don't deserve to be sleeping in a storage closet. In fact, we're here now." He pulled off the bag, revealing a large living room. My eyes grew wide. The room was very modern, with long, plush white sofas, a big flat screen T.V., and a glass ceiling covering the lights above.

"This is mine?" I asked.

"Yes. You and your friend get this room, the bedroom off this way, and a private deck. Just, don't get any ideas, understand?"

I nodded. "Where is Blaire?"

"She's on her way. I paged one of the men to bring her. We'll eat dinner on the main deck at six." Raul then left me to explore. I found the bedroom, which was as luxurious as the living area. A bathroom was connected to it. There was a phone in the bedroom, but could only call the kitchen for room service. I sighed in frustration. Soon enough, Blaire arrived, no worse for wear. She too was in shock by our accommodations.

"Oh my gosh…" she exclaimed. "This is amazing!"

"He's just doing it to get us on his side," I explained. "To show that he's not a bad guy. But he is, Blaire. He will kill us if he needs to."

"Well, what can we do about it?" she asked.

I smiled. "Escape."

~*O*~

_Cape Horn_

_Beep…beep…beep… _The annoying sound worked its way into June's head. She took her pillow and covered her ears. "It's too early," she moaned as she tried smacking the alarm clock, knocking it off the table in the process. The noise continued on. "Roy, fix the dang alarm," she muttered as she rolled over.

Roy sat up to see what June was complaining about and heard the same noise. But, he knew what it was. "Oh, no." He got out of bed and ran to the table where his phone was. Sure enough, "Tracking Beacon Activated" popped up on his screen, along with a purple dot. He silently swore. August had activated her watch. If she had done that, she was in serious trouble. He ran over to his wife. "June, get up."

"Go 'way, Roy. Sleeping," she murmured.

"August activated her tracking beacon." June shot up, wide awake.

"She did _what?"_

"She pushed her panic button. I only told her to do that if she was in some sort of trouble that she couldn't get herself out of. That means that right now she is in great danger."

June had already gotten out of bed and was currently pulling on a pair of jeans. "I know that. Where is she? What does your tracker say?"

Roy looked down at his phone. "The Mediterranean. Somewhere around Italy at this moment."

"Do you think it's the CIA?" June asked worriedly. "Maybe I should've listened to you before."

"No, she probably would be at Langley by now. If she was taken out of the country, then someone else has her." He looked over at his wife. "So, you want to go after her? If we go back on the grid, we could get caught."

June dropped her bag on the table. "Roy, this is my cousin! Of course I'm going after her." She sighed. "Look, this is my fault. I left her in Boston and this is what happened. I'm not going to let her get hurt or die. I already abandoned her…I'm not going to be the cause of her death." She started throwing stuff into her bag. June glanced up and saw Roy standing there. "I don't know what spy stuff we need to bring with us, so that's your job. I'll pack clothes and other necessities."

Roy didn't even reply, but set into action, opening the drawer that contained his guns and grabbing them both. He got the extra magazines that went with them, putting all the weapons in a duffel bag. "How many mags do we have?" June called from the bathroom.

"Three," Roy replied.

"That's not much."

"I can get some more from one of my contacts in Europe."

June poked her head from the bathroom. "How many contacts do you have?"

Roy laughed. "Too many to count."

She came out with a duffel stuffed full of clothing. "Are you ready?"

He nodded, shifting his bag onto his shoulder. "Yep."

"Good. Now let's go get August." The couple hurried out of their bungalow, Roy making sure to lock it. They hopped into their car and drove off towards the nearest airport, hoping they weren't too late.

~*O*~

_Boston, Massachusetts_

CIA Agent Kara Jacobs surveyed the messed up townhouse. The agency had been searching the place top to bottom, looking for any clue of the whereabouts of August Havens and her companion, Blaire Pruitt. So far, the only things of interest found was a small armory hidden inside a cabinet and a box of letters from two people that the CIA had been scouring the globe for.

"Where are you, August?" Kara mused while rifling through the box of letters. She had been secretly communicating with the girl over the past few months and had served as a messenger to get August's letters to a contact that would send them to Roy and June. If Director George had known, Kara would have been fired and/or arrested for aiding a fugitive. But, the director was dead and the two teenagers were missing, vanished without a trace.

She was sure that August had been kidnapped. The girl that she knew would never betray her country, even for her boyfriend. The CIA was convinced that she had allied with Raul and was on his side. Kara didn't believe it. After viewing the footage of the theft herself, she knew it wasn't August. She couldn't tell anyone, though. No one besides Roy and June knew that she had even met the girl. She had to keep her knowledge under wraps.

Kara looked down at the letters. August had been smart-none of the envelopes were with the letters and photos. That meant that there were no possible locations to check. It was a pain for the agents trying to find her, but it kept her safe. _If she even is safe. _

Just then, the door opened and a woman with auburn hair and piercing green eyes walked in. Kara had never seen her before. All of the agents stopped what they were doing to stare at the stranger. "All right, what do we know?" the woman asked.

"Who's she?" Kara whispered to one of the agents.

"The new director-Abigail Beckman. She's tough, from what I've heard. If she's here, she's got to be serious about finding Havens."

"Of course she would." Kara tried to keep her voice steady. "Director George was killed in the same accident that August disappeared in."

"You know what I heard?" the agent asked.

"What?"

"That Havens killed the director herself, maybe even her friend. We haven't finished dredging the river bottom yet, so we could still find a body. Also, I heard that they're blaming the attack on her, that she managed to contact her allies to come and save her. Most likely, she's on a beach in Mexico right now, sipping a margarita and laughing at all of our stupidity."

"Well, there's still a chance that we could find August's body. Like you said, they haven't finished dredging the riverbed." Kara refused to believe that August had willingly gone along with the Quintanas. She'd rather have the girl dead than on their side.

"Agent Jacobs?" Kara quickly looked up to see the new director staring at her.

"Yes, Director Beckman?" she asked.

"Have you completed your scans of the letters?"

"Almost. From what I've seen, there's no mention of any specific locations. All of the envelopes are missing, too. I'm guessing that Havens burned them."

"Thank you, Agent Jacobs. Please send those to the lab to be analyzed. Maybe there's something there that we're missing."

Kara nodded. Abigail turned to the rest of the agents. "Now, I'm new to the life of August Havens. Can someone fill me in on her file? I know her stats: sixteen years old, 5'4" with blond hair and brown eyes. But, what I don't know is her skills, her history."

"She's a ghost, ma'am," one of Kara's friends, Agent Berkley answered. "Trained by one of our best-Roy Miller."

"Yes, he recently went rogue. It seems that the two were communicating," Abigail mused. "What else?"

"By physical standards, she's nothing impressive," Agent Newman put in. "But she's extremely skilled in firearms. If she gets ahold of a gun, her enemies are doomed."

"What's her kill record?" Abigail implored.

"Two," Berkley replied. "A German assassin named Kurt Hansel and a former agent of ours-John Fitzgerald."

Abigail smiled. "Ah, yes. Agent Fitzgerald. I remember that incident. But somehow, the charges were dropped. Why?"

"Director George managed to get them dropped," Kara responded. "No one knows why. It should be in August's file."

"A lot of her other charges were dropped, too," Newman added.

"Well, this time she's not getting off that easy," Abigail said. "August Havens is a threat to national security and needs to be apprehended immediately."

"Have you thought that maybe she didn't survive the accident?" Kara asked. "We haven't completed our search of the riverbed."

Abigail shook her head and laughed. "August is a survivor. She could easily escape that car. Trust me, Agent Jacobs. She is long gone. Now, we need to focus on getting her back."

Kara zoned out as Abigail continued talking about her plan on recapturing August. _This director isn't going to let her get away with just a tap on the knuckles. She will either kill August or put her away for the rest of her life. I can't let that happen. I have to get ahold of Roy. He's the only one that can help her._

After she was dismissed from the townhouse, Kara got her cellphone and dialed a number of an old friend. "Hello, Billings. I need Roy's number. Yes, it's about August. What do you think it would be about?"

~*O*~

_Mediterranean Sea_

I was about to die from boredom. The T.V. worked, but most of the channels were in Italian, Greek, or Spanish. I could understand parts of the Spanish ones, but otherwise all of the words were a messed up blur. "Once I get out of here, I'm learning Italian," I told Blaire.

"I think I might learn Spanish. I know some French, but I haven't really gotten a chance to use it."

"That'd be a good idea," I replied. I sighed. The past twenty-four hours had been misery. We were allowed up on the top deck for dinner, and to our private deck to tan, but armed guards escorted us the whole time.

"August, how are we going to get out of here?" Blaire asked. "You said you had a plan."

"I do," I said. "But, I'm not sure how to make it work. First, we have to go during a time that we have no guards around us."

"Okay," Blaire replied uneasily. "When is that?"

"Around midnight. That's when the guards are changing shifts and there's a break in security. That's when we will slip out and find Simon."

"Wait, we're bringing Simon into this? I thought it was just for me and you."

"Yes, we're bringing Simon! If I leave him behind, they'll kill him! I'm all he has, Blaire. He'll easily give up his life for mine, but I'm not going to let him do that."

Blaire was silent, so I kept going. "Once we find Simon, we will steal a lifeboat and paddle to shore. Can you keep a secret?" Blaire nodded. I leaned in close. "I have a tracking device in my watch. I've already activated it, so Roy and June should be on their way to rescue me. We just have to stay alive long enough for them to reach us. All right?"

My friend shook her head in agreement. "When do we leave?"

I smiled. "Tonight."

~*O*~

At dinner, Blaire and I obediently showed up and ate, politely answering Raul's questions. I slipped a steak knife onto my lap halfway through the main course. _You never know when you may need a weapon. _

"So, is Simon cooperating?" I asked.

"We're going to shore to get his tool," Raul replied. "He's made excellent progress on the microchip. If it keeps going this well, you girls will be fine." I knew he was lying. No villain would be willing to give up hostages that could describe him, his yacht, and his evil plan.

_We have to get out of here before it's too late. As soon as Raul gets what he wants, he'll kill all of us, even Simon. We'll be tossed into the Mediterranean for shark food. _

"Well, that's good," I answered. "I've been missing Boston." I looked down at my watch, which had a purple blinking light. _Please find me, _I thought.

After we finished eating, we were taken back to our room. As I shut the door behind us, I stuck a torn piece of my sundress in it, catching the lock. I smiled to myself as I went towards the bedroom. "We need dark clothing," I stated. "These dresses will never be good camouflage."

Blaire stuck her head inside the closet. "I don't see anything but dresses in here."

"That's because you don't know how to look." I stepped inside and started throwing anything brighter than navy, brown, or black out into the bedroom. Blaire backed up to avoid getting hit. I found a black tank top first and put it in its own pile. Eventually, I found a navy one as well. Finding pants were harder. I managed to unearth a pair of denim shorts along with a black pair after a few minutes. "Okay, these are our outfits." I tossed Blaire the navy outfit.

"Why do we have to wear dark clothes?" Blaire asked.

"It helps hide us from the guards. If we could get ahold of one of their uniforms, this would work a lot better. But, these will do." We got changed and I stuck my knife in my belt loop.

"Why do you have a knife?" she implored.

"Because we might run into some trouble. I wish I had a gun, but I'll make do. Besides, we might have to use it for something else. I'd rather be prepared."

My idea had worked and the door remained unlocked. We crept down the hallway and towards the staircase. I stopped to look at a deck map along the way. I peered at it, trying to figure out where Simon would be hiding. "Got any ideas?" I said.

"Maybe try to find an area with a lot of guards?" Blaire suggested. "He's probably heavily protected."

"But he also has nowhere to go," I argued. "We're on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Kind of hard to escape."

"But we're doing it."

"Because we might die if we don't. Now, I really need to get a guard's uniform. Let's go find one." We snuck up to the deck above us and found a lone guard on duty. We hid behind the stairwell as he walked by. I waited until he had his back to us. "Stay here," I whispered. I took my sandals off and walked silently down the hallway towards him. Then, quick as a flash, I grabbed his neck and used Roy's neck pinch thing. He went down instantly. I smiled and turned back to Blaire. "Come help me."

We dragged the guard into a storage closet and stripped him of his uniform. "Put this on," I told Blaire.

"Why me?"

"I'm the girlfriend. It'll be more believable, trust me." Blaire obeyed and tucked her hair into the cap. I confiscated the man's gun and stuck it in my waistband. _Now I can defend us better._ "Grab my arm and look intimidating." She did, gripping it a little too tightly. I just ignored it. It was how we were going to find Simon.

We got up to the top deck and walked confidently, like we were supposed to be there. There were only a few men monitoring the area and didn't pay any attention to us after seeing Blaire in her uniform. "If anyone asks, you are taking me to see Simon," I said quietly. Blaire nodded. I decided to trust my instincts and follow what I remembered of my walk yesterday to Simon's cell. I whispered directions to Blaire every few minutes so it appeared that she was leading me. We eventually reached a door that had a guard in front of it. I grinned before walking up to him.

"Hi," I said cheerily. "I've come to see my boyfriend. Raul said it was all right."

The guard looked at Blaire and she gave a nod in agreement. After a moment, he unlocked the door to let me in. "I'll only be a minute," I said with a smile. Blaire seemed a little nervous to be left on her own, but stayed outside. I stepped inside and shut the door behind me. Simon was sitting on his desk, busy at work on something. "Simon," I whispered. He quickly turned around, a little surprised to see me.

"August? What are you doing here?"

"I'm busting you out," I replied. "We're getting out of here. Raul's bringing the boat closer to shore, so we don't have to get that far. It'll be easier to hide on dry land."

"But, we don't have any money or ID's. How are we supposed to stay hidden?"

"I'll take care of that. But, we don't have much time." I spotted a wrench on his desk. "Stay here." I opened the door and saw that the guard had his back to me. Blaire saw me and I held a finger to my lips. She nodded. I crept behind the guard and slammed the wrench on the back of his head. Sure enough, he went down. I didn't hit him hard enough to kill him, but he'd feel it in the morning for sure.

"Who are you, Jason Bourne?" Blaire asked as I went back to the workshop.

"No, I'm August Havens," I answered with a grin. I peered into the room. "Get your stuff, we're leaving," I ordered. Simon grabbed a bag and followed me. He glanced over at Blaire.

"Who's that?"

"I'm her friend, Blaire," Blaire explained. "You must be Simon."

"Oh, yeah. I've heard a lot about you. You're the girl that likes to nose around in other people's business, right?"

Blaire smiled. "That's me."

We snuck onto the deck above the main one since there were still guards patrolling it. "All right August, what's your ingenious plan?" Blaire asked.

I was searching for anything in particular to help us. I did notice a few lines that held flags leading from the corners of the deck. They went all the way down to the main deck. The gears in my head began to spin. _I hope what they do on TV works… _"Simon, take your belt off."

"What?"

"Just do it."

He obeyed, handing me his belt. I swung it over one of the lines, testing my weight to see if it would work. Luckily, nothing broke so I decided to trust it. "Okay, Blaire, take your belt off, too. You're going first."

"First to do what?"

"It's simple. Just swing the belt over the rope and slide down it. Don't make any noise, though. Once you get to the main deck, get into the shadows and hide. Wait until I get down there. Okay?"

"Okay," she answered nervously. She put her belt over the rope and held it, taking a deep breath before sliding down to the next deck. She landed without a sound and raced into the shadows.

"It's our turn," I said to Simon.

"All right." He did the exact same thing as Blaire and I wrapped my arms around his waist. _Please hold us both. _We stepped over the railing and flew until we reached the main deck. Our landing was a little less graceful, but no one heard us. I rushed over to a lifeboat.

"Here's our ride," I told them. Simon and Blaire looked at me strangely, but I knew they trusted me. I lifted up the canvas and got inside. I pulled out the knife and started hacking at the rope. Blaire got in beside me and Simon started using the pulleys to get us down. Unfortunately, no one had oiled them recently. _Squeeeeekkkk! _I gasped as I heard voices yelling.

"Simon, get in!" I hissed. He jumped inside. "Hang on!" I demanded while pulling out my gun. _Bang! Bang! _I shot both pulleys and we plummeted towards the sea. Blaire screamed and we all struggled to stay in the boat. We grabbed paddles and started to stroke away from the yacht. Instantly, spotlights were trained on us. "Shoot!" I muttered.

"August, they're gaining on us!" Blaire shrieked.

Simon looked behind us. "August, they're going to ram us!"

I turned around and saw the yacht right on our rear end. "We've got to jump!"

"What?" Blaire cried. I knew she had regressed into her panic mode.

"No time to argue. Just do it!" I grabbed both of their hands and dove into the water just before the yacht ran our boat over. I pushed my wet hair out of my face and tried to ignore the stinging of the saltwater in my eyes.

"Why are they trying to kill us?" Blaire screamed. "We have Simon!"

"I don't know…" I couldn't see Simon. "Simon? Simon!" I dove under and saw him struggling to reach the surface. I got ahold of him and dragged him up. He gasped for air.

"Thanks," he managed to say. "I can't swim."

"You can't swim?" I yelled. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't give me a chance!"

I opened my mouth to retort, but I heard Blaire scream. "Blaire?" I called.

"She's right here, August." I turned around, still fighting to keep Simon's head above water. There was Raul, standing in another lifeboat holding a gun to Blaire's head. My eyes grew wide.

"Let her go," I ordered. "This is between you and me."

"Oh August, I thought you wouldn't be any trouble. You seemed like you would follow orders."

"You thought wrong," I replied. "I'm done playing by the rules of your game."

Raul smiled. "My brother was right about you. You're stubborn and a pain in the neck."

I gave a mock bow. "Thank you."

"August, now might not be the right time to tick off the man holding a gun to your friend's head," Simon whispered.

"I agree, Simon," Raul put in. "Now, why don't the two of you get back on the boat and I'll think about not shooting Miss Pruitt." _How does he know her last name? _I didn't get a moment to contemplate it since I was dragged into the boat. I tried to fight, but two guys held me down. Simon didn't fight at all, instead choosing to keep his hands up and sit still. Raul took the gun off Blaire and she collapsed into my lap.

"Why do I always get to be the hostage?" she muttered. I shook my head and glared at Raul.

"What now, Raul?" I asked angrily. "Are you going to kill us?"

He smirked evilly. "Not yet, August." He turned his attention to Simon. "If you don't want your girlfriend to die within three days, you will tell me where the microchip is. I know a genius like you would never destroy your own creation. So, where is it?" he demanded.

_Don't tell him, _I mouthed. _I'll be fine. _

Simon chewed his lip before looking up at Raul. "I don't know where it is."

"Your choice," Raul said. "Separate Miss Havens and Miss Pruitt. And make sure that this time they stay there." The men nodded and forced me and Blaire up a rope ladder back onto the yacht.

"You'll be okay," I reassured Blaire. "I promise. I'll get you out."

"August, don't leave. I can't do this by myself," she begged.

"Blaire, it'll be fine. I promise!" By this point, the guards were dragging us apart. She clutched onto my hand.

"No! Don't go!" she cried. Her captor ripped her hand from mine and carried her away. I could hear her screaming for a long time. I just hung my head. _I just made things a whole lot worse. _I was taken back to my rooms and confined in the living room. I sighed and plopped on the couch, setting my head in my hands.

"What am I going to do?" I said wearily. "Roy, June, where are you?"

_**End of chapter 3! Well, this was a long one. I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry if it seems jumbled, I was trying to put in a lot of points of views and get subplots started. So, August, Blaire, and Simon got caught and are now isolated from each other. And Kara is stuck in a sticky situation while Roy and June are rushing to find August. Will they catch up to her in time? Or will August be in a lot more trouble? I will say that next chapter will be very action-filled and dramatic. See you next time!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Mediterranean Sea_

I sighed as I turned on the T.V. _I guess this is it. I'm probably going to die in the near future. _I flipped through channels, trying to find something to watch. Then, I saw something very familiar. I gasped and changed back. My face was on the screen-on Fox News, to be exact. Even better, it was in English.

"_Boston police have reported that sixteen year old August Havens has been declared missing by her guardian, April Havens-Dawson. The teenager disappeared in July during a hostage standoff that resulted in the kidnapping of her and her cousin June Havens. Both were rescued, but their kidnapper was never caught. This has led some to believe that he has come back to take his victims. Here's Brian Walker on the scene."_

The screen changed from the newsroom to the busted-down front door of my townhouse. Crime scene tape covered the whole area. _"Thanks, Shannon. This is the home of August Havens, where she was last seen with her friend, Blaire Pruitt. According to Mrs. Havens-Dawson, the two girls were staying here alone while the Dawsons were on vacation. When she returned, both were gone, leaving only a ransom note behind. She chooses to not have it shown on television."_

_So that's my cover story. I was kidnapped by Roy. Well, that will certainly be interesting._

"_Boston Chief of Police Tom Pruitt, the father of one of the missing girls, has declared a state-wide manhunt for the abductor. He and his wife Katherine issued a statement this morning." _I saw Tom and Katherine standing outside the police station. Katherine looked like she had been crying.

"_Whoever you are, please just let our daughter go," _Katherine pleaded. _"And Blaire, if you can see us, we love you. We love you and are waiting for you to come home."_

The angle maneuvered to Tom. _"I can promise that the entire state is looking for these girls. So please, just let them go. August is like a daughter to me and I don't want her going through this trauma again. She's already unstable enough. And Blaire has nothing to do with this…" _I turned off the television.

"Well, at least I'm not being called a dangerous fugitive," I said. "Maybe the CIA doesn't want to publicly announce that. I'm probably a traitor now."

I knew that was probably what I would be remembered as, too. If I was killed (which was very likely), Raul would most likely weigh my body and just toss it overboard. I would never be found, leading the CIA to believe that I was just a ghost and hiding out. I would go down as being the youngest traitor in American history or something like that.

I just hoped that they wouldn't do that to Blaire. She didn't deserve it. She had just gotten dragged into this. Unlike me-I had made a choice to join this lifestyle. A choice that had saved my life, but a choice either way.

The door opened and Raul came strolling in. "Hello, August."

"Hello," I replied coldly.

"Well, I just talked to Simon. He's still refusing to tell me anything."

"Good," I retorted. "That way the Zephyr will be safe from the likes of you."

Raul looked ticked. "You do know that if he does not give me it, you will die."

"I know. And I don't care. If I go back to America, I'm dead. If I stay here, I'm dead. Either way, I'm dead. So, I'd rather stay in a place where I'm in relative comfort for the time being."

Raul smirked at my logic. "How do you know you'll die?"

"Because I'm smart and a pain in the neck, remember? But, I won't tell you how I know. A girl has to have her secrets."

"Yes, but if I kill you, then I have no leverage against Simon. Your friend Blaire, however…is not as important to him."

I clenched my hands into fists. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, but I would, August. I will do anything to get that microchip, understand me? I will do the most horrifying things you can imagine to that girl, and more. So, if you want her to live, you will go to Simon and convince him to tell me where it's hidden. Got it?"

I nodded. I wasn't concerned about my own safety, but I wasn't about to let Blaire get hurt. "Yeah, I got it. Can I go see Simon now?"

Raul smiled at me. "Of course."

I was taken back to Simon's "lab" and tossed inside without any dignity. I picked myself off the floor and brushed the dirt off my clothes. "Dirtbag," I whispered.

"August, are you all right?" Simon rushed over from his desk.

I waved him away. "I'm fine. I'm not a fragile china doll, you know."

"I know. I'm going to give him the microchip. That way, you and Blaire will be safe."

I was torn. On one side, I wasn't willing to put thousands of people at risk if Raul got his hands on the microchip. On the other, I didn't want Blaire to get hurt or killed. "Simon, if you tell him, then a lot of people could get massacred. What if one of those terrorist groups got ahold of the Zephyr? Our own country could be in danger!"

"August, Raul said he would hurt you if I didn't tell him what he wanted to know…"

"And he told me that he'd hurt Blaire first. But, listen, I have a tracking device in my watch. I activated it almost three days ago. Roy and June are surely on their way by now. We just have to hold on a little bit longer and then we'll be rescued."

"I don't want to take that risk."

"Simon, please. Just do it for me. I can take care of myself, I promise."

Simon opened his mouth to answer, but a sudden jolt stopped him. I cried out as I lost my footing and crashed into a small cot. Simon landed on top of me. "Well, this is awkward," he laughed.

"Get off me, you big oaf," I replied. I looked around at the disheveled room. "What happened?"

"I don't know."

~*O*~

Roy had the throttle on full blast as he and June raced across the Mediterranean in their speedboat. "How far are we?" he yelled over the motor's roar to June.

"We're getting closer!" she called back as she glanced at the tracker. She smiled when she saw the purple dot drawing near. All of a sudden, her stomach began to churn. She managed to get downstairs to a bucket before the remnants of her breakfast made a reappearance. _That's weird. I never get seasick. Not even in big storms. _She had been feeling a bit under the weather lately. Maybe she was catching the stomach flu. Or maybe she was just nervous about August. Yeah, that was it. She was nervous about August. Anyone would be in that situation.

June was about to go upstairs when her burner phone began to ring. Quickly, she pulled it out of her pocket and pushed the talk button when she saw the familiar number. "Will? Will, what is it?"

"_June, it's Kara. I just wanted to warn you about…"_

"Kara, how did you get this number?"

"_Billings gave me it. Now, August is in big trouble back here in the States. I don't have much time, but basically there was an accident and Isabel is dead. The new director is blaming August for it, but she's vanished. They're branding her with treason!"_

June clutched onto the railing. "August isn't a traitor! Are they accusing her of killing Isabel?"

"_In simple terms, yes. There's no official charge as of yet. But, there's more. Simon's been kidnapped, and apparently August was a part of it." _There was a sigh on the other line. _"She's being framed. I've seen the footage and it's not her. But, no one believes that she's innocent. In everyone else's eyes, August is a dangerous fugitive and a threat to national security."_

"Can't you just tell them that it's not her in the footage?" June asked desperately. _I never should have left her behind. She's only sixteen! She doesn't know what to do on her own._

"_No, I can't. If I reveal that I know her, then I could end up in jail. Trust me, June, what you need to do now is find her and keep her safe. Okay?"_

June felt her stomach twisting into knots again. "Okay," she replied. "August already activated her tracking beacon a few days ago. Roy and I are almost there."

"_Good. I have to go now. I'm due at the agency in a few minutes." _The connection was abruptly severed.

"Bye…" June trailed off. She turned back to her bucket before throwing up again. "What is happening to me?" she muttered.

"June, are you all right?" Roy called from the upper deck.

She rinsed her mouth out at the sink. "Yeah, I'm fine!" _I won't tell him. He's already worried enough about August-he doesn't need to be worrying about me. _She quickly dumped the bucket out the porthole and hurried upstairs to her husband.

"What were you doing down there?" he asked.

"Kara called me. August's in trouble."

"Well, we already know that."

"It's trouble in the States, Roy. Simon was kidnapped and August is being blamed for it. They're calling her a traitor!"

Roy tightened his grip on the wheel. June could see his knuckles turning white. "They took Simon, too."

June gasped. "He was making a new Zephyr, wasn't he?"

"From the chatter I've been hearing, yes." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "That's why they took August. She's leverage to get Simon to cooperate."

June leaned against the railing. "He'll do anything to save her. Even if it means handing over a potential weapon."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Roy looked out at the water surrounding them. "We should be getting close."

His wife peered at the phone. "We're almost on top of her."

Roy scanned the horizon. "Then why aren't we seeing any boats? There's no land around here for miles."

June looked as well. "Where are you, August?" she murmured.

~*O*~

I pulled myself off the cot and quickly started to take in the situation. We had hit something, but what? And why? "You're pacing again," Simon said as he watched me walk from corner to corner of the small room.

"I can't think unless I'm moving," I retorted. "It helps my brain work or something."

"Well, it's kind of weird."

"That's why you like me, remember? Because I'm crazy and weird."

"And beautiful," Simon added.

I smiled. "Thank you. But right now, I'm trying to figure out what's going on." I pressed my fingers against my temples as I attempted to decipher our predicament.

Just then, the door opened and a guard came rushing in. "You're needed on the top deck, Señorita Havens, Señor Feck."

I just nodded. If we were being taken together, maybe I could get us out of here. But first, I needed to find Blaire. We were led into the hallway and I gasped as I saw water pouring down it. It was already up to my ankles as we went to the staircase. "Are we sinking?" I cried.

"Yes," the guard answered.

"That's what I thought," I said uneasily. Simon squeezed my hand in comfort.

"We'll be all right," he put in. I gave him a small smile as we climbed up the stairs to the main deck. The first person I saw was Raul.

"Well, it seems like our Mediterranean holiday is over," he said with a grin.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" I replied angrily.

"Why, yes, August. My men caught wind of a man and woman searching the Mediterranean for a young blond girl. Would that girl be you, by any chance?"

_Shoot! _"There are many blond girls in the Mediterranean, Raul," I answered. "I have no idea who those people are, anyway."

"That's why you have a tracking device on you, then?" Raul walked up to me and stared me right in the eyes. "You're not as smart as you think, August." He grabbed my wrist and smiled when he saw my watch. "Roy gave that to you, right? Well, you won't need it where we're going." He snatched the watch and tossed it overboard into the sea. I gasped. _There goes my chance of being rescued._

"I think you're even more of a sleaze than your brother," I growled.

"I take that as a compliment. We should be off. Load the lifeboats!" he ordered.

I searched the deck, but couldn't find Blaire. "What about Blaire?" I asked.

Raul glanced at me. "I'm afraid that your friend is not as important as you, August. She's a bit tied up right now, anyway."

My face went white as I realized what he was doing. "You're leaving her to drown," I said evenly. "No! No!" I screamed. I tried to run towards the rest of the yacht. "Blaire! Blaire, I'm coming!"

One of Raul's men grabbed me by the waist and started dragging me towards a lifeboat. "No!" I cried. "I'm not leaving her!"

"August, don't fight them!" Simon yelled. "You'll only make it worse!"

"She is my best friend and I am not going to let her die!" I kicked the guard in the shin and took off.

"August, no!" Simon cried. I only made it a few steps before I was picked up and carried towards the lifeboat. I kicked and screamed, but nothing worked.

"Blaire…" I sobbed as I was put beside Simon. My arms were fastened securely behind my back so I wouldn't try anything. Raul seemed amused by my grief.

"If I knew this would break you, I would've done it a long time ago," he laughed. "Then, I wouldn't have wasted so much time."

I glared at him. "You should be glad that I am secured, because I will kill you when I get the chance."

"You wouldn't, though. It took all of your strength to kill Agent Fitzgerald. And I hear that you still have nightmares because of it."

I didn't say anything else, but looked down at my thigh where my scar was showing since my shorts were shorter than normal. I leaned my head against Simon's shoulder and allowed myself to softly cry. _I'm so sorry, Blaire. I never should've brought you into this. _

I watched as the lifeboat was being paddled away from the yacht that was slowly sinking into the depths as it took on water. Then, I saw a speedboat heading towards the wreck. I saw a blond ponytail on one of the people and I knew who it was.

"June!" I shrieked. "Roy, June, I'm right here!" As a response to my outburst, one of the guards hit me on the head with the butt of his gun. I fell onto the bottom of the boat before everything went black…

~*O*~

Blaire whimpered as she watched water seep into the room she was in. Raul's men had tied her arms around a leg of a chair and gagged her before leaving her to die. She had heard August screaming her name earlier, but now everything was silent. They had left her. She was all alone.

_I can't die now. I've got so much left to live for. _She started to wiggle around on the floor, trying to tip the chair over. She scooted away towards the door, ignoring the ropes cutting into her wrists. _Come on, you can do it. August wouldn't give up this easily. _

Anger pulsed through her as she thought of her friend. _But August wouldn't leave anyone behind either. _In a moment of rage, she managed to tip the chair over, getting her arms out from underneath it. She stood up quickly and ran to the door. She struggled to turn the knob, but found it locked. Blaire screamed in frustration, but it only came out as a strangled cry. She fell against the door and slid down to the floor, crying softly. _I'm going to die. I'm actually going to die._

She thought back to when she first became August's friend after she had moved into June's townhouse. She had known of August-the story of the car accident had been splashed across the front page of the Boston newspaper. When her mother had heard of the recently orphaned girl moving to their neighborhood, she insisted that Blaire should go over and say hello. Blaire didn't want to at first, but did anyway to please her mother.

_She had gone to the townhouse and knocked on the door. It was answered by a young girl with puffy eyes. "Hello?" the girl said._

_Blaire cleared her throat. "Hi, I'm Blaire Pruitt. I live down the street. I just came over to introduce myself. We'll be going to the same school." She realized she had babbled again. _

_The other girl wiped her eyes. "I'm August Havens," she replied with a small smile. "You probably know who I am from the papers."_

"_Yeah…I'm sorry about your parents."_

"_It's okay. I'm fine. So, would you like to come in?"_

"_Sure, if you'd like. I mean, I wouldn't want to intrude."_

_August smiled. "It's fine. I'm bored being by myself anyway. I need to talk to someone my own age before I explode."_

_Blaire laughed. "I know what you mean." She walked into the townhouse, not realizing that this was only the start of an amazing friendship…_

Blaire sniffled and watched the water rising around her. _It's no use. If I fight, I'll just be prolonging the inevitable. Maybe I should just give up now. _But, she couldn't. She couldn't end her own life. She stood up and tried the door again. It was still locked. There were no windows in the room, so she couldn't break one to escape. Blaire sighed. _It's hopeless._

~*O*~

Roy and June were horrified as they approached the sinking yacht. "Do you think that August is in there?" June cried.

"I'm afraid so," Roy replied. "I'm going in. You stay here and watch the boat. I'll be right back."

"Roy, you're crazy!" June exclaimed. "What if you get trapped inside?"

"Then you'll have to come save me," he answered with a smile. He grabbed a flashlight off the deck and dove overboard.

"Roy!" June yelled. "Don't leave me here by myself!" It was too late; he was already gone. "Darn it," she muttered.

Meanwhile, Roy was swimming to the wreck. He pulled himself onto the top deck and began searching for the teenager. "August!" he called. "August, answer me!" There was no reply, so he went down a deck where water was pouring in. The water level was already up to his thighs as he sloshed through the hallway. "August?" he yelled again. He beamed his flashlight around since the lights were flickering. "Come on kid, don't give up," he whispered.

He heard something banging against metal and looked up. He smiled. "There you are." Roy ran to a nearby door and banged on it. "August, is that you?" There were muffled screams behind the door that he took as a "yes". "Don't worry, I'll get you out!"

Roy quickly tried the handle, but found it locked. He pulled out his lock pick and began to pick the lock. It took him awhile since it was dark and he had to hold the flashlight in his teeth. But, he eventually got it open. By that time, the water had risen to his waist. He threw open the door and a bound girl with light brown hair fell into his arms. He ripped off the gag and stared down at this stranger. The girl looked at him with terrified eyes.

"I'm not August, but please help me!" she cried hoarsely.

"Of course," Roy managed to say. "But, who are you?"

"I'm August's friend, Blaire," the girl gasped. "We were kidnapped together."

"You can tell me all about it later, but right now we have to get out of here." He took her arm and led her down the hallway towards the stairs.

"You're Roy Miller, right?" Blaire said. "August told me about you."

"I hope they were all good things," Roy replied.

"Mostly," she answered sheepishly. "She was kind of mad at you guys for leaving her behind."

"I just bet she was." _If we had taken her with us, then we wouldn't be in this mess. _They got to the rapidly sloping top deck and Roy scanned the horizon for June and the boat. Blaire gripped his arm as she struggled to keep her balance.

"What are we looking for exactly?" she asked nervously.

"My boat," he replied. "June should be with it."

"June's here, too?"

"Yeah…" He smiled when he saw June driving up.

"Come on, get in!" she yelled. Roy scooped up Blaire and tossed her onto the other boat. Then, he hopped on himself. June grabbed him and kissed him passionately. "Why do you always have to make me worry?" she cried.

Roy smiled. "Because I always get this reaction," he answered. June looked up and saw Blaire staring at them.

"Blaire?" she gasped. "What…what are you doing here?" she stammered. Her face went white. "Where's August?"

"She was taken away with Simon," Blaire said steadily. "I was left behind to die."

June held onto the railing to keep herself from fainting. "Blaire, who took August? Who took Simon?"

"He said he was Raul Quintana. August knew who he was."

Roy knew immediately who Blaire was talking about. "He must be trying to take over his brother's company. That's why he needs the Zephyr. And they must not have it, since they took Simon and then you and August."

"Where would he take them, though?" June asked. "His yacht is currently sinking to the bottom of the sea, and Antonio's compound is run over with Interpol agents."

Roy closed his eyes. "Barcelona. His compound is in Barcelona. That's where he'll take them."

"How did you know that?" Blaire wondered.

"When I was with the agency, I researched the Quintana family thoroughly. Raul was raised in Barcelona as a child while Antonio lived in Sevilla. There's a good chance that he's living in the family home in Barcelona."

"But, what if he's not?" June asked. "Then what do we do?"

"I don't know. But, we're going to find them. That I can promise."

~*O*~

I moaned as I rolled over. My head was throbbing horribly. _It's a surprise that I don't get brain damage from being hit over the head so much. _I snuggled more into the soft pillow under my head. _Wait, a pillow? _

My eyes snapped open. I was lying on an ornate bed inside a large room. I sat up slowly and realized that I was no longer wearing the tank top and shorts and they had been replaced by a thin silk nightdress. I crossed my arms over my chest protectively. _That pervert. _I got out of the bed in hopes that other clothes had been laid out for me. There were none, but I did find a lacy robe that I threw on over the nightgown. I looked around my prison. It would be a lovely room under different circumstances, but I saw it as my tomb.

The whole room was furnished with Spanish style furniture, including a hand carved vanity and wardrobe. The first thing I saw was a balcony. I ran towards the French doors leading to it, hoping to get away, but found them locked. I grabbed the vanity chair and went to swing it at the glass, but noticed that it had security wire between the two panes. I threw the chair down in frustration. The windows had the same wire and the main door was locked as well. I slid down the wall to the floor and put my knees to my chest. "It's hopeless," I said aloud. "No one's coming to save me. Roy and June probably think I'm dead. The CIA wants me dead. Raul wants me dead. I have no chance. And Blaire's…Blaire's dead because of me. I'm useless." A tear ran down my cheek.

"What am I going to do?" I whispered.

_You aren't going to give up, for one, _a tiny voice said. _You have been through much worse than this. You are going to get off your butt and save Simon. He needs you, August. You can still save him. You can prevent him from being killed like Blaire. _

"You're right," I replied. "I can save him. And I will. Even if it means that I'll lose him forever."_  
_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Barcelona, Spain_

I was trying to pick the lock on my door to get out, but that wasn't working. I threw down the nail file. "No, that's stupid," I muttered. There were no hinges on this side of the door, so I couldn't rip those off. I had been stuck in this room for two hours and I still didn't know what I was going to do to get out of there or what Raul planned to do with me. Nothing good, of course.

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. I jumped and reached for the nearest weapon, which happened to be the nail file. I held it in front of me, trying to appear threatening. The door swung open and a woman dressed in a maid's uniform timidly peered in. I instantly lowered the nail file. She gave me a small smile. "Señorita August?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes?"

"Señor Quintana has requested that you join him for dinner."

I grinned before giving my best _Pirates of the Caribbean _quote. "Tell him that I'm disinclined to acquiesce to his request." I laughed at her reaction. "It means no."

The maid didn't seem amused. "You would be wise to say yes. Raul doesn't like being told no."

"I know," I said quietly. "Listen, have you seen a tall, nerdy-looking guy around? His name is Simon Feck. I need to know if he's all right."

"I'm afraid that I haven't. But, that doesn't mean that he's not here. This is a big house. There's any number of hiding places where he could be."

"Well, that's helpful," I mumbled.

"Señorita Havens, I really need to get you ready. Raul will be angry if you do not appear. You do not want that to happen."

I was worried about Simon, but knew that Raul wouldn't hurt him because of what Simon knew. Maybe if I complied with Raul's demands, I could find out where he was and break him out. "All right. What do I wear? Because I'm not going out in this." I gestured to the silky almost-lingerie.

"Of course. Raul has chosen something special." She went over to the wardrobe where an abundance of skin-tight, short outfits were hanging up. _This should be interesting._ The maid pulled out a long evening gown. It was pretty, but definitely not practical for escaping. It was made of chiffon and was pale pink. I had to make Raul happy, though. I donned the gown and allowed the maid to pull my hair up into an elaborate twist. She offered me jewelry, but I declined, choosing instead to wear Simon's necklace. I looked at myself in the mirror. I put my mask on, showing no emotion. It was the only way to stay alive.

The maid nodded her approval. "A guard will come escort you in a few minutes, Señorita Havens." She left the room and I heard her key turn in the lock. I scanned my brain, formulating a plan. I smiled secretly. _You underestimate me, Raul. I never give up. _

I slipped on a pair of kitten heels and waited patiently for my "escort." Soon enough, the door opened and there was a guard waiting for me. "It's time to go."

I saw his gun resting on his hip. "I know." I allowed him to take my arm and lead me from the room. I ran over my plan again and again. _I'm not failing this time. _ "So, where am I exactly?" I asked politely.

"Barcelona, señorita. This is Señor Quintana's childhood home."

"Interesting…" _Barcelona. I could escape from Barcelona. At least I'm not on a boat. _I bit my lip and got ready to make my move. I quickly pulled myself out of his grasp and pinched him right on the pressure point on his neck. Within seconds, he was down for the count. I relieved him of his weapon and slid it onto a makeshift holster under my dress. Then, I dragged him into a closet and hoped no one would be looking for him for a while.

I followed the corridors until I reached the dining room. I could feel the gun rubbing against my leg and swallowed hard. _Could I be able to kill him? _I fixated on Raul's smirking face. _Yes, I could. _

"Hello, August." Raul didn't appear angry, just pleased. _He thinks he can tame me. Well, he's wrong. _

I only smiled. "Hello. Thank you for inviting me to dinner."

Raul stood and pulled out a chair for me. I sat down, making sure my skirt didn't ride up. "Of course I would invite you. You're still a guest." I noticed he said the last sentence with gritted teeth.

_He's only keeping me alive for Simon. Otherwise, I'd be dead by now. _"Now, where is my boyfriend hiding at?" I asked with a grin. "Surely he's hungry, too."

"Simon is busy at the moment, I'm afraid. It's just you and me tonight."

_Just what I was afraid of. He's keeping us separate. Well, if I can get away, I can go get help and save him. _"Oh, okay. I was just wondering if he was all right."

"He's fine, August. Now, what would you like for the main course? Beef or chicken?"

I silently slid my hand up my dress and clutched onto the gun. _No turning back now. Be brave. _I brought the gun out, leaving it on my lap. "Beef, please."

"Would you like some wine?" Raul offered. "My family owns some of the best vineyards in Spain."

"Well, if I was twenty-one, I would gladly have a glass," I answered. "But, I'm only sixteen. Ask me in five years."

"As you wish," Raul said graciously.

I quietly cocked the pistol and took a deep breath. "Raul, I do enjoy your company, but I'm afraid I'm needed elsewhere."

Raul seemed surprised. "And where would that be?"

"Anywhere but here." I stood up and pointed the pistol at his chest. A guard immediately came running in. "Ah, ah, ah," I warned. "Don't move or I'll shoot." He froze, his hand on his own gun, watching me intently.

"Now, August, I'm sure that we can figure this out," Raul put in. "Just put the gun down."

I backed towards the French doors leading to the gardens. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to shoot you. Just let me leave and you can live. You can even keep Simon." Using one hand, I turned the doorknob, still maintaining my target. "If you let me go, I won't shoot."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, August."

I smiled softly. "I know." My smile turned hard and I shot the back wall, making both the guard and Raul duck, giving me a chance to run. I hiked the dress up past my knees and kicked off my heels, running for dear life. Bullets instantly began peppering the hedges around me. I screamed and dove into a fountain for cover.

"_Don't shoot her! I need her alive!" _I heard Raul shout.

_Well, that's just great. _I crawled out of the fountain and crept along the hedges, searching for an exit. The whole compound was surrounded by an ivy covered wall and as I grew closer, I could hear cars honking and people yelling. _Cars mean people, and people mean help! _I shoved my gun down the front of my dress and began to scale the wall, clutching the thick ivy. I was almost at the top when my foot slipped and I lost my balance. I desperately clawed at the vines, but I fell anyway, hitting the ground with a thud. I gasped as the wind was completely knocked out of me.

_Come on, get up! It's your only chance! _I weakly stood up and tried to run, but I stumbled and fell again. _Why do I end up failing miserably when I try to escape? _I was still woozy, but got up again and ran, a little more stable this time. Just when I was starting to become steady, a slender figure tackled me right onto the grass. I rolled over and found myself staring into my own face. I screamed and tried to back away, but my look-alike had a good grip on me.

She laughed. "Did you honestly think you could get away?" In response, I spit in her face.

"You never know unless you try," I replied bitterly.

"And try, and try. You know, I pity you, August. All you've ever wanted is to be free and safe with your companions, but you fail every time. You're weaker than I thought you were."

I struggled to get my arms out from under her legs so I could get my gun and shoot her, but she was too heavy. "You're the little viper that got me in trouble back in the States."

The girl smiled. "Guilty as charged. But, at least I'm still free while you are being charged for treason."

"You severely underestimate me," I hissed.

"Well, well, well. Bravo, August. Another failed escape attempt. I got to admit, I think you're losing your touch." I glared at Raul as he strolled up. He squatted down beside me and I wished I had my gun so bad. "I see you've met Cristina. She was the one that impersonated you back in the lab. You have her to thank for your misfortunes." He reached down the front of my dress and I squirmed as his hand closed around my gun and brought it out.

"Why can't we just shoot her now?" Cristina whined. "We're going to have to eventually. We can use me to keep the boy happy if you want."

"You saw how that worked out! He knew it wasn't her from the moment he saw you on the security cameras. If we want him to cooperate, we keep her alive. At least, for now." I involuntarily shivered.

"I don't care what you do with me honestly. Just get this chick off of me!" I yelled.

Raul nodded at Cristina and she got up. But, before I could make a break for it, he grabbed my wrists and pulled me up, too. I tried to escape his grasp, but he pulled me in close. "Don't even think of pulling another stunt like that," he growled in my ear. "I have tried to be a good host, but my patience is wearing thin. What, did you think that you could find someone to help you in the city? Think again, sweetheart. Half of the city police are on my payroll and would gladly bring you back. The other half would be willing to turn a blind eye on your plight for only a small bribe. There's no one out there looking for you. Miller thinks you're dead. You have nowhere to go, anyway. So, why don't you actually try to enjoy yourself for a change? It'd be a lot easier for me and for you."

I angrily ripped my arms away and stomped towards the house. He was right; I had nowhere else to go. And so far I had been failing at escaping him. Maybe if I acted docile for a while he would forget about my more violent tendencies. First, I needed to find Simon. _And I need Roy and June to find me…_

~*O*~

_Sevilla, Spain_

Blaire was in awe as she watched people bustle around the busy market. She, Roy, and June had docked around the coast the previous day and had made their way to Sevilla where Roy had a contact that could help slip them into Barcelona without detection. "We still have to be careful here," Roy had warned them when they entered the city. "June and I still have upstanding warrants here in Sevilla. I don't want to be arrested today."

She wasn't sure what she thought of Roy yet. Sure, he had saved her life, but he was also a trained assassin, according to August. _"You just have to trust him, Blaire. He might be able to kill someone in twenty different ways, but he's the nicest and most protective guy I've ever met. I'd bet my own life on it."_

_Oh, August, where are you? _Roy was certain that August and Simon were being held in Barcelona, but what if he was wrong? Then what would they do? Every second that they wasted, August and Simon's lives were being put at risk. What if they were too late by the time they did find them?

"Deep in thought?" Roy asked. Blaire's head shot up. She hadn't realized she had been daydreaming.

"I'm sorry…I'm just worried about August."

He laughed. "That's the least of your worries. By now, August has probably tried to escape. She might've even succeeded. If not, she's probably succeeded in making Raul consider killing her for being a pain in the neck."

"So, you're not worried about her at all?"

"Sure I am. But, I'd rather focus on figuring out how to save her than fretting about what's happening to her at this moment. Besides, she's the strongest person I know. She can take care of herself."

June walked over from a nearby booth with a basket full of random things. "Who is this contact, Roy?" she wondered.

"He's another old friend of mine. I've known him since we were in the academy together."

"How do you know that he won't turn us in?" Blaire implored worriedly.

Roy gave his trademark grin. "I don't."

"Roy, no," June disagreed. "We can't afford to get captured."

"And we can't waste any more time arguing about this, June. I wouldn't be contacting him unless I was certain that this was our best option. It is. You and Blaire aren't even going to be at the meet."

"What? You'll be exposed!" June was angrier than Blaire had ever seen her. "There's no way I'm letting you go alone!"

Quietly, Blaire stepped back. She didn't want to get involved with this. She might end up getting killed if she sided with someone. "June, I'll be fine."

"That's what you said when you jumped off the bridge in Sevilla and you got shot and almost died!"

"This is different. I'm not going into that kind of situation." Blaire stifled a laugh as she watched the married couple argue.

_August was right. They really do argue a lot. _She wished once again that her best friend was with her. She would know what to do. But, now it was up to her. Blaire quickly stepped between the couple. "Um…I'm sorry, I shouldn't be intruding on this…discussion, but we are wasting time. So, how about you two come up with a compromise?"

Roy and June looked at each other. "She's right," June said. "I guess Blaire and I can stay at a hotel while you go to the meet. But, if you're not back in an hour, I will personally come track you down, understand?"

He smiled. "I understand." He slipped a pistol into June's hand. "Protect her," he whispered, nodding to Blaire. "August will kill us if anything happens to her."

June nodded in agreement. "I will." She softly kissed Roy.

"Well, that's not much of a send-off," he joked.

"It's so you'll come back for more," June replied secretly.

Roy laughed and whispered something that Blaire couldn't hear in June's ear. June blushed and lightly smacked him. Then, he walked away and June turned towards her. "Let's go. I don't want to get caught."

The two women eventually found a nearby hotel and June purchased a room for the night. Blaire plopped onto a chair while June rushed to the bathroom. She heard June throwing up and walked up to the door. "June, are you okay?" she asked with concern.

"I'm fine, really."

"No, you're not. You're not fine if you're throwing up. How many times?"

"This is four."

Blaire bit her lip. She really did not want to ask this question. "June…are you…gosh, this is awkward. Are you late?"

June opened the door very quickly, almost smacking Blaire in the face. "What did you say?"

She took a deep breath. "Are you late?"

June looked like she was in deep thought. Then, she quietly swore.

"I'll take that as a yes," Blaire said slowly.

"Blaire! I can't be pregnant! I mean, Roy and I haven't even talked about having children yet!" June sat down on the bed and leaned her head in her hands. "What am I going to do?"

"Well, for starters, you need to take a pregnancy test. Just to be sure," she added.

"I know, I just don't want to," June answered. "I almost don't want to know. And if I tell Roy, he'll freak out and not let me do anything to help August and Simon. I can't let that happen; you all need me."

"June," Blaire answered gently. "If you are pregnant, you need to know so you can at least take some precautions. Don't you want your baby to be healthy?"

"Blaire, I don't even know if I'm having one."

"That's why you'll take a test, then. I still want you to help out. I don't know what I'm doing here, honestly. I feel like I've just been dragged into this. I'm not even sure how many times I've almost died in only a few days."

June smiled at her. "That is absolutely normal. You should've seen me a few months ago. I was a nervous wreck while August treated being a fugitive like a walk in the park. She was shooting guns and surviving on her own while I had to be knocked unconscious. I'm fine now, but it just takes a little while. At least you didn't have to go down in a plane crash."

Blaire shrugged. "I did almost drown yesterday."

"Oh, yes, that's right. Well…I guess I'd better take that test, huh?" She reached into her basket and pulled out a small box.

"You already bought one?"

"I guess I was a little suspicious. And I've wanted to have one just in case I'm not able to get to a store for a while. I'll be back." She slipped into the bathroom and Blaire lay back on the bed.

"August, I need you," she whispered. "You better still be alive."

The bathroom door opened a few minutes later and June walked out, staring at the purple plastic stick in shock. "What is it?" Blaire asked worriedly.

June looked up, tears growing in her eyes. "I'm pregnant," she managed to choke.

~*O*~

_Barcelona, Spain_

I was ticked as Raul dragged me through the hallways of his home. _What is happening to me? I have never been this weak before. _I firmly set my jaw. I was still not going to give up. "So, what now?" I asked. "Let me guess. You're going to say: 'August, if you don't want to die, you will convince Simon to give me the microchip.' Am I correct?"

Raul smirked. "You're right. But, this time it will be a little different." He opened a door and ushered me inside. Instead of seeing Simon working at his desk, I saw an empty desk with a computer sitting on it. "Since you end up getting in trouble when you two are together, I decided to keep you apart. There's a webcam connected to Simon's room. Go ahead, have a seat."

I cautiously sat down in the chair in front of the computer. In seconds, the monitor turned on and there was Simon, tinkering with some mechanical thing. He looked up and gasped when he saw me.

"_August? August, are you all right?" _He sounded concerned and I realized he was looking at my scratched and bruised body.

"I'm fine, really," I replied. "Don't worry about me."

"_What happened to you?"_

Raul pushed me to the side and stuck his face in front of the camera. "She tried to escape again. She almost made it over the wall, but fell instead." He rubbed his temples. "Your girlfriend is trying my patience, Simon. Soon, I might just snap and well…something might happen to her."

"_Don't you dare hurt her!" _Simon yelled.

I jumped out of the chair and ran to the computer. "Simon, don't listen to him! Do not tell him where the microchip is, understand me? I'm all right!" Raul grabbed my arm and pulled me close and I flinched when I felt cold metal against my temple.

"Now, I don't want to kill her," Raul continued. "She's a lovely girl and it'd be a waste of a bullet. But, if you don't tell me where it is, I will shoot her."

"Simon, don't tell him," I managed to gasp. "I'll be fine. I'm one person, remember?"

"_August…"_

Raul cocked the pistol and I struggled to remain calm. _If I die, at least I know where I'm going. _"Last chance, Simon."

"Don't do it," I begged.

"August, isn't there something that you wanted to tell Simon?" Raul said smoothly while holding me firmly in place.

I closed my eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. I knew what I was going to say. I opened my eyes and smiled. "Simon, I love you."

Raul was ticked. His finger went to the trigger and I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn't want to see Simon's expression. "I love you, you understand?" I screamed. "And if you love me, you will keep your mouth shut and let me die! I'm not going to let them kill you!"

There was a click and I flinched. Tears were streaming down my face. The chamber was empty. I was still alive. I allowed myself to finally breathe. "Time's up, Simon," Raul said. "Be prepared to say goodbye. August, let's go." He pulled me up and led me out of the room. My heart was pounding and I had no idea what was going to happen next. All I knew for sure was that Simon finally knew how I felt about him, but now it was too late to do anything about it.

I was brought back to my room. "I'll be back in a while," Raul told me. "Be ready to leave once I do."

I just nodded. It was no use to fight against him. I leaned my head against the closed door. "I love you, Simon," I whispered. "More than you know. And if I die, at least you finally know the truth." I smiled and walked over to the wardrobe, throwing open the doors. I found the piece of clothing I was looking for and took it out. _I'm going out with a bang. _

~*O*~

_Sevilla, Spain_

Blaire looked at June in shock. "You're actually pregnant?"

"Yes," June whispered. Her hand was trembling and she had one hand held to her mouth. "Oh gosh Blaire, what am I going to do?"

"You have to tell Roy," Blaire insisted. "He has to know."

"I can't. He'll flip out and won't let me help. I'm not going to stand idly by, either. It's my fault August is in this mess, anyway. If I had taken her with us, she probably wouldn't be kidnapped right now."

"But, then Simon would be alone," Blaire added gently. "At least August can protect him."

"And get herself killed in the process," June muttered.

There was a knock on the door and both girls jumped. June tossed the test in a trash can and Blaire went to check the peephole. "Get back!" June hissed. She was holding a gun at ready.

"What are you going to do, shoot them?" Blaire was horrified. She thought that June hated guns. _I guess times have changed. _

"Shh!" June replied. "I want you to slowly open the door and get down. If anything happens, you run, understand? Don't worry about me."

Blaire nodded and turned the doorknob. She threw open the door and flattened herself on the floor, instantly covering her ears. But, no bullets were fired. She timidly looked up and saw June was hugging Roy. The gun was on the bed. She sighed in relief and stood up.

"How did the meet go?" June asked. "Will he help us?"

Roy's facial expression changed into something unreadable. "He's only willing to help one of us. A group of three is far too dangerous."

"You mean, we're splitting up?" Blaire cried.

"Which one of us is going?" June demanded. "I just bet it's you, isn't it?"

"Well, yes," Roy answered. "Blaire's new at this, and I'm not letting you go off alone in your…condition."

"What?" June asked in surprise.

"I know you've been getting sick, June. And I've been standing at the door listening to you and Blaire for the last five minutes. Why did you not want to tell me about this?"

"I guess I was afraid. Roy, we haven't even discussed having children yet. How are we going to be able to care for a baby and stay off the grid?"

"We'll figure it out, I promise. Now, we can discuss this later. You and Blaire are going to miss your train."

"A train? To where?" June was confused.

"To Madrid," Roy said nonchalantly, like they should have known.

"You're sending us to Madrid," June said flatly. "You won't even let us come to the city in case you need backup?"

"I'll have August," Roy reasoned. "Please June, just go. Don't argue."

June looked like she might cry. "Just promise me that you will bring them back," she choked. "I know you don't like to make promises that you're not sure you can keep, but please just bring them back."

Roy lifted her chin. "I promise, June. That is one promise I will keep." He kissed her gently. "I'll find you in Madrid in no more than a few days. Just try not to cause any problems." He smiled before grabbing his bag. "I know how hard that will be for you."

"I'll see you soon!" June called. As soon as Roy was out the door, she turned to Blaire. "Get your things together. We're leaving."

Blaire instantly began throwing a few random objects into her small bag. She had learned quickly to take orders. _I'll see you soon, August. Then, I want to know everything._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Barcelona, Spain_

I adjusted the straps of the white sundress I was wearing. _At least Simon will be able to see me in a white dress. _I gently touched the pendant that he had made. I did care that I was going to die, but somehow I had accepted it. I only hoped it would be quick. Although, Raul probably would torture me first to get Simon to talk.

I quietly began to sing under my breath. I had sung this song before, and it was a little depressing, but it fit my current situation. "Close every door to me," I whispered.

_Hide all the world from me_

_Bar all the windows and shut out the light_

_Do what you want with me_

_Hate me and laugh at me_

_Darken my daytime and torture my night_

_If my life was important I would ask_

"_Will I live or die?"_

_But I know the answer lies far from this world_

_Close every door to me_

_Keep those I love from me…_

My voice choked as I finished the line. I really was going to die. There was no escaping this time. "I can't believe I'm giving up," I said aloud. I played with a strand of my hair, waiting for the door to swing open and find out my fate. _At least the rest of the world will be safe. And I'll be able to see my parents and Blaire again. _

Just then, the door opened and there was Raul. "Time to go," he said firmly.

I slowly walked to the hallway. Raul tightly grabbed my arm to make sure I wouldn't go anywhere. "I'm not going to escape," I argued. "You don't have to drag me around."

"And you're also a trained liar. I'm not going to believe a word you say." I was led outside to a black SUV with tinted windows. Raul opened the back door and there was Simon.

"August!" he cried. Raul pushed me inside and I hugged him.

"I'm okay," I breathed. "And I'm going to be okay. Don't worry about me. Whatever Raul does to me, you keep your mouth shut and don't say a word." I leaned in closer to him. "I know that you wouldn't destroy the Zephyr. Please, just do it. For me."

Simon wrapped his arms around me. "August, I'm not going to let you kill yourself for me. I don't want to lose you."

"Simon, you will never lose me. I will always be with you." I leaned my head on his shoulder. "Please, don't argue with me. I want to enjoy what time we have left."

"Did you mean what you said earlier? That you love me?"

I lifted my head. "Of course. Why would I lie about something like that?"

"It's just…I thought in the heat of the moment, you just screamed whatever popped in your head. Not a lot of girls like you would ever think of falling in love with a guy like me."

"Simon, don't ever think that. I'm different from other girls. You are the sweetest and kindest guy I've ever dated. Most guys only wanted me for my beauty, but you see beyond that. You see who I truly am. And I'm glad that I got to know you. I love you." I lightly kissed his cheek.

He pulled me in for a kiss. "August, please don't do this."

"I have to," I whispered. "If I'm dead, he has no leverage against you. You can live."

"It doesn't work like that."

"Well, I'm willing to give it a try."

Simon fingered my necklace. "August, I have to tell you something."

"What?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but then the car suddenly stopped and the door flew open. Raul was standing there with a smirk. "How cute. Romeo and Juliet proclaiming their love for each other. Too bad I'm not a romantic." He pulled me out of the car and I bit back a cry of pain as I twisted my ankle on the way down. I wasn't going to give Simon any reason to change his mind.

I finally saw where we were. Outside the ring of armed henchmen surrounding me, I saw that I was standing on a white sandy beach, with crystal blue water only a few feet away. _What is he up to?_

"Last chance. Where is the microchip?" Raul demanded.

Simon looked me in the eyes. "I don't know."

"All right." All of a sudden, one of the men grabbed me and began dragging me towards a dock a little further down the beach.

"Simon Feck, don't say anything!" I shrieked. "If you do, I swear I will come back and haunt you for the rest of your life!"

Simon was being held back by another guy. "Don't hurt her! I'll tell you everything!"

"Too late," Raul smirked.

I was taken to this pier thing that was built about seven feet off the ground. My captor tied my arms around one of the poles along with my ankles. "I'll be fine!" I shouted. "Don't say a word!" I couldn't say anything more since a piece of cloth was tied around my mouth. That didn't stop me from trying, though.

It was then that I noticed that I was currently standing in knee deep water that was rapidly rising. I sharply breathed in. _The tide is coming in. _I looked up and my eyes grew wide when I saw the water line was a good foot above my head. _The water will continue to rise and I'll drown. _I realized that Raul chose this method to make both Simon and me suffer since he would have to watch the water grow higher and higher and I'd have to wait in agony to die. I wanted to hit myself. _Why did I have to be so stubborn? Get a grip, August. Don't look freaked out. _

Raul was smiling evilly. "As you can tell, the water will keep rising until it completely covers her. It will be a very slow and painful death. So, where is the microchip?"

Simon didn't answer. He was looking at me with pained eyes. I glared at him. _Don't you dare say anything. _

Waves were hitting my thighs by now and I was regretting my choice to wear a thin white dress. I pulled at my binds and was shocked to find that my ankles had been loosely tied. I quickly began to work my way out of them, only making slight movements so I wouldn't be suspicious. The rough ropes bit into my skin as I attempted to get my legs free. The water was hitting higher up on my waist.

I rubbed my cheek against the splintery pole in an attempt to get the cloth off my mouth. But, it was tied too tightly. I angrily hit my head against the wood. _It's no use. Please, Simon, don't tell him. Just let me die. _I watched the salty water grow higher until it was up to my chest. The waves were already hitting me in the face and I had to struggle to take a breath between each one. My nose was burning from the seawater going up it and my eyes were watering horribly.

I looked over at Simon and I noticed he seemed more weary and scared as he was forced to watch me drown slowly. "Please, just let her go," I heard him plead to Raul. "She doesn't know anything about the microchip."

_No, Simon! _I kicked my legs a little harder, attempting to free them. _Come on, come on…_

"Give me an answer, and I promise I'll let her live."

_He's lying! Don't listen to him! _I managed to get one foot out of my bonds and used it to push against the rope to free the other. I was forgetting to breathe, so waves were completely dunking me. I took one more gasping breath as I saw the last enormous wave heading towards me. I then heard a scream from the beach.

"It's in the necklace! The microchip is in August's necklace!" Simon cried in anguish. My head whipped around and I saw Raul smirk.

"Thank you very much, Simon." He gestured to his men. "Well, don't just stand there. Go get it! Leave the girl out there. I have no more use for her."

"No!" Simon yelled.

"Sorry, but did you really think I would keep her alive after I got what I wanted?" Raul laughed.

My eyes grew wide and the wave crashed over me. In a final push of desperation, I got my other foot out of the ropes and began to shimmy up the pole. I could feel splinters digging into my arms and legs, but I didn't care. Raul's men started running through the sea towards me and I knew I had to keep the necklace safe. I pushed myself over the water line and got ready to fight to save the microchip.

The first guy came running up and I kneed him in the groin. He went down and I managed to head butt the next one. Then, I saw a scuffle going on at the beach. Simon and another man were beating up some more henchmen. Raul was nowhere to be found. _He probably ran like the scumbag he is. _

Just then, my bonds were cut from my wrists and I found myself being pushed underneath the surface. I fought my attacker, but he was too strong, holding me down. Black spots were already starting to appear on the edge of my vision. My lungs were burning and it was taking all of my strength not to take a breath. Then, all of a sudden, the weight was tossed off me and I was brought up from the water. I about cried when I saw who it was. My gag was ripped off and I gasped for air.

"I've never been so happy to see you in my life!" I cried as I wrapped my arms around Roy.

"Are you all right?" he asked with concern. "Did they hurt you?"

"No, no, I'm not hurt," I replied. I touched my neck and smiled when I saw that the necklace was still there. "What took you so long?" I said angrily. "I activated that device over four days ago! If you would've found me sooner, Blaire would still be alive!"

He looked at me strangely. "August, Blaire is alive. She's with June in Madrid."

I covered my mouth. "She's not dead?"

"No. I saved her from the yacht. She's fine. I promise."

I sighed in relief. My friend was alive. I was alive. Roy helped me through the crashing waves towards the beach. Simon met us halfway, scooping me up. "Thank God you're all right," he said. "I never would've forgiven myself if something happened to you."

I raised my arm and smacked him across the face. "You _idiot!_ I told you not to tell him no matter what you saw! And, to make things worse, you never told me that your present contained a potential weapon! You could've at least said something!"

Simon recoiled, holding his reddened cheek. "August, I _tried! _You don't think that I didn't think about it? That what Raul wanted was right under his nose? I didn't want to tell you for your protection. Don't you understand that, August? Or do your stone walls block that out?"

I gasped. His words stung more than I expected. In response, I stomped away down the beach. "I need walls," I muttered. "I don't need you judging me."

I clutched a hand to my mouth to keep myself from sobbing. Apparently Simon affected me more than I thought. _Words can never hurt me, my rear end. _I whipped around. "You're a jerk, Simon Feck!" Then, I ran away, trying to remain calm. _It's okay. I don't need him. Oh, who am I kidding? I don't just need him. I love him. And he was only trying to save my life. _

"Gosh, I'm going soft," I murmured.

~*O*~

_Madrid, Spain_

"Run, Blaire!" June screamed. The two women's feet pounded on the cobblestone streets as they ran through the alleyways of Madrid.

"How did they find us?" Blaire gasped. They had only arrived in Madrid a few hours before and were instantly chased by three men who had seemed to know who they really were.

"I bet that Roy's contact sold him out," June replied between breaths. "And then found out where we were."

"Or maybe Raul found us?" Blaire suggested. "What if he caught Roy?"

June was silent. "Well, I don't want to find out the answer to that."

Blaire looked behind her and saw that the men were gone. She began to slow down. "They're gone," she said. "We must have lost them."

"I wouldn't bet on it," June answered. "Come on, we have to keep moving."

Blaire was gasping for air. She had no idea how August dealt with the constant running and anxiety attacks. _No wonder she's in shape. _She followed June through the winding streets until they finally came across a small hole-in-the-wall building. "What is that?" Blaire asked.

"It's called a _hostel,"_ June explained. "They're mostly used by students and backpackers. They're basically like cheap bed-and-breakfasts. Those men will never think of looking for us here."

"Oh…I get it." The room they were showed to was small and sparse, but brightly colored and clean. Blaire plopped onto one of the two beds with a groan. "I don't know how you all do this," she said. "It seems exhausting."

June laughed. "Just wait until your first plane crash."

"Which I hope never happens," she retorted.

"Well, you can't control this life. That's one thing I'm sure of. One day you might be relaxing on a private island, but the next you're running for your life on a train in Austria. You can't pick and choose."

"Joy," Blaire groaned. "I'm really not made for this if you can't tell."

"That's why I'm here. I can help you. You just have to let me."

"Let me guess…you're going to teach me how to shoot a gun."

"Not yet. You're not ready for that. But, I can teach you how to use one of August's favorite weapons." She pulled a pair of decorative chopsticks out of her purse.

"Are we going to get Chinese?" Blaire asked hopefully.

"No." June removed a small tip from each of the chopsticks. "You wear these in your hair. If you remove these tips and stab someone with one of them, they will die within minutes."

"August used these?" Blaire cried in horror.

"No, she didn't. She didn't need to because she's very experienced with guns. She ended up giving them to me instead."

"So, you've used them?"

"Nope. But, you never know." She screwed the tips back on. "I'm passing them on to you."

Blaire gingerly took the weapons in her hands. "I'm afraid I might end up stabbing myself instead."

"Well, don't do that. Here." June swept Blaire's hair into a messy bun and placed the two chopsticks in it. "There you go." Blaire reached up and touched one of the potential weapons.

"These are going to freak me out all day," she said with a shudder.

"Welcome to my life. Now, Roy's expected to return in the next few days. I need to make sure that you are ready to contribute to whatever we have to do. Do you understand?"

"Umm…yeah, I think so," Blaire said nervously.

June smiled. "Good."

~*O*~

_En route to Madrid_

I stared across the table at my two companions. Simon and I hadn't spoken since the beach. I was fuming since I was wearing a weapon around my neck that I hadn't known about while he was mad because I had yelled at him. Roy didn't say a word, either. So far, it had been a very awkward train ride.

I sighed and glanced out the window. We were traveling on the AVE train to Madrid. It was Spain's fastest train and would take us halfway across the country in only a few hours. It was pretty cool, especially since I had learned about it in my Spanish class the year before.

I thought about the past few days. I had almost died numerous times, and my best friend almost drowned because I had dragged her into my former life. Luckily, she was safe with June in Madrid. _She's probably freaking out, too._ _Gosh, I need to stop regretting the past and focus on the present. _

We had no idea what was going on. The CIA was searching for me relentlessly because I apparently murdered Isabel and allied with Raul. Blaire was believed to be my partner in crime or dead. I wanted to scream that they were all idiots, but the evidence was piling against me. It made me question whether it was even a good idea to return to the States. It didn't help that the new director, Abigail Beckman, was scouring the country for me.

Roy had a plan on how to keep us alive, but he wasn't sharing. He said that if we were caught and interrogated, he didn't want our enemies knowing where our new safe house was. I thought we might be returning to Roy and June's home in Cape Horn, but Roy said we weren't, but wouldn't tell the reason why. I hadn't pushed the issue.

"Are you in your own world?" Roy asked.

I smiled. "Maybe."

"We're almost to Madrid. June's probably wondering what happened to us."

"I bet she's worried sick about me. And Blaire's probably having a panic attack."

Roy laughed. "Most likely."

Simon had remained silent, staring out the window glumly. I sighed. _I can't blame him for what happened. _"Roy, would you mind giving me and Simon some privacy?"

"Not at all." Roy left our table and headed to another car. I looked over at my boyfriend.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. You were only trying to protect me."

Simon looked at me. "August, I meant to tell you, I really did. It's just that I kept being interrupted and…"

I put a finger to his lips. "It's okay. You don't have to make excuses. I was a jerk and yelled at you. But, we can't stay mad at each other. We need to work as a team if we're going to stay alive these next few days. I don't want this to be the end of us."

He reached out and touched my pendant. "I didn't mean to drag you into this. I wanted to keep you safe. This is my problem, not yours. And then Blaire got involved—"

"Don't worry about me and Blaire," I put in. "Besides, I got her involved. You need me, Simon. Raul probably would've found me eventually. I did help kill his brother and ruin his company, after all."

Simon laughed. "That is true. But I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not some fragile little china doll. I'm pretty sure I've disproved the 'blond girl gets killed first' theory. I can take care of myself, I promise. And I want to make sure Raul knows that I'm alive and I'm going to take him down."

My reply shocked Simon into silence. I knew I had won. I sat back in my seat and smiled. "I'm not about to stand off to the side, Simon. If Raul wants this microchip, he's going to have to come get it."

Just then, Roy came back carrying a glass of something. "Are you guys all right now?" he asked.

"Yes, we are," I answered. "I'm ready to take Raul down."

"I'm afraid that won't be an option. Raul has vanished, along with a few of his close associates. Therefore, so do we. You're still a wanted fugitive in the States and a target to Raul. The sooner you disappear off the grid, the better. Once we get to a safe house, we can decide what to do next."

I sighed. "Fine." I knew he was right. I was still considered the prime suspect in a murder investigation, along with theft and kidnapping charges. Without any means of proving myself innocent, I would be doomed if I was caught. Besides, Raul was probably plotting on how to kill me once I was found. I needed to disappear.

I looked out the window at the blurred countryside. _Next time, Raul. Then, you're mine._

~*O*~

_Madrid, Spain_

I hitched my bag higher on my shoulder and scanned the platform for Blaire and June. I looked terrible. My dress was torn, my makeup was smeared, and my hair was tangled and stringy from being in the ocean. _They probably won't even recognize me. _

Roy and Simon were getting off the train from a different car to avoid suspicion since a group of three wasn't very inconspicuous. I glanced around for any tails, and finding none, went further into the crowd. Just then, I felt someone grab my arm. My heart leapt into my throat and I scanned my brain for the easiest way to dispatch my assailant without being seen. I found the attack that I wanted and went to strike when I heard someone whisper in my ear.

"August, stop! It's just me!" I lowered my arm and gasped when I saw Blaire standing in front of me.

"Blaire?" I managed to say.

She smiled. "Come on. It's not safe to talk here." She led me towards a car where June was waiting.

"What happened to you?" June asked with concern. "You look like you've been run over by a bus."

"Almost drowning does a number on you," I replied wryly.

"You almost drowned?"

"And almost got shot numerous times, and tried cracking my head open, oh, and did I mention that Simon put a potential weapon in this necklace and didn't tell me?"

Both Blaire and June stared at me blankly. "We'll talk about this at the hotel," June said.

"What about Roy and Simon?" I implored.

"They're catching a bus over."

"Okay." I noticed June didn't seem like her normal self. But I hadn't seen her for two months. A lot had probably happened to her since then. I mean, I knew I had certainly changed. Being abandoned does that to you.

I turned towards Blaire. "I can't believe you're alive. I thought you went down with the ship!"

"It was close," Blaire agreed. "If it wasn't for Roy, I wouldn't be here right now."

"It was a close call for me, too," I said. "Luckily those men don't know how to tie a proper knot." I smiled. "So where are we going? Hopefully out of Spain, right?"

"I don't know," June answered. "Roy wouldn't tell me. I think he doesn't want any of us to know in case we're separated."

"That makes sense." I leaned against the window and peered out at the busy streets. I was just happy that I wasn't in Sevilla. That city held some bad memories, plus I still had a warrant for my arrest for stealing a motorcycle (oops), reckless driving (I was being chased by bulls when that happened), destruction of property (I did apologize for breaking that kiosk), and being involved in the death of Antonio Quintana. The last one I didn't really know how to explain. But luckily I wasn't in Sevilla. I just hoped that we wouldn't be in Spain for long just in case.

We arrived at the small hotel within a few minutes and Blaire and I went up to the room while June took care of a few things downstairs. "So what happened to you?" I asked. "Last time I saw you, you were being dragged away."

"They tied me up downstairs," Blaire replied, a small catch in her voice. "Then, they left me to drown. Luckily Roy found me in time. After that, we traveled to Sevilla and Roy met one of his contacts that got him into Barcelona undetected. June and I have been here in Madrid ever since. We haven't been bothered much, except that we got chased by these guys right after we arrived."

"Oh," I said. "I hope we leave soon." I traced the area where my scar was.

Blaire looked at me with sympathy. "It must feel awful to be in the same country where that happened."

I sighed. "It does. But I need to get over it. I can't have anything dragging me down if we're going to survive these next few days."

"Where do you think we're going?"

"Probably someplace where no one would think of looking for us. Knowing Roy, it'll probably be somewhere in the middle of nowhere."

The door opened and June came in. "Roy and Simon just got here," she said. "We need to leave. Those same guys that chased us earlier are waiting outside."

"Great," Blaire groaned. I didn't say anything, but instead quietly got my bag and looked out the window. Sure enough, three men were standing by the door. I could see one had a gun. My blood ran cold.

"I recognize some of those guys," I managed to gasp. "They're Raul's men. They have to be after me."

"Why would they chase us earlier, then?" June asked.

"Leverage against me and Simon," I answered. "We weren't being very cooperative."

"Well, let's get out of here, just in case," June replied. She and Blaire grabbed their things and we went downstairs to the lobby. Roy and Simon were waiting for us.

"Come on!" Roy whispered urgently. We slipped out a back entrance and started to run. I heard yells and then gunshots.

"Crap," I muttered as I grabbed Blaire's hand. "Run, Blaire!" I cried.

The five of us sprinted through Madrid's winding streets. "I know someone that can hide us," Roy said between breaths.

"Roy, I'm not going to anymore of your contacts!" June yelled. "Especially when the one in Barcelona might have betrayed you in the first place!"

"We have to get to our safe house somehow!"

"Just stop arguing and get us out of here!" Simon put in.

I looked behind us and saw the men closing in. _Where is a gun when you need one? _"Roy, please tell me you have a gun."

He pulled his out and handed it to me with a knowing look. I turned around and began shooting. Blaire screamed as I took two down with shots to the shoulders. I let go of her hand and ran towards the last one. He raised his gun to shoot me, but I quickly shot him first in the hand, then in the leg. He went down and I holstered my gun.

I walked over to the man and smiled before placing my shoe right on his wound. He grimaced in pain. "Who do you work for?" I ordered.

He swore at me and I began putting more pressure on the wound. "What do you want with us?" I demanded.

"Señor Quintana will never let you live," he breathed. "Annoying blond American girl."

I smiled sweetly. "My name is August Havens," I replied. "Make sure you tell Raul my name when you wake up." Then, I smacked him hard on the head with the pistol. I walked back towards the others.

"They won't be bothering us anymore," I told them.

"Impressive," Simon replied as he kissed me on the cheek.

"You love it when I go all Valkyrie, admit it," I said.

"Yes, I do." I turned and saw Blaire standing with her hands over her mouth.

"Blaire, are you okay?" I asked.

She lowered her hands. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "I just don't know who you are anymore, August." She quietly began to walk away.

I sighed. _Great. Now what am I supposed to do? _

_**End of chapter 6! Well, finally the whole group is together! But now there's tension between August and Blaire. Hmmm…how to fix this one. Sorry I took so long to update, but I've been planning the third story and I started writing a few scenes until I had the whole first part of the book written. Whoops! Also, I started writing a scene where June's giving birth, which was inspired partly by What to Expect When You're Expecting, also starring Cameron Diaz. So, I can't wait to share these scenes with you guys, especially since some are really funny. :) See you next time!**_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_Madrid, Spain_

I leaned into the chair I was sitting in, looking over at Blaire. We had taken refuge inside an abandoned house for the time being while Roy tried to figure out how to get us out of the country. June had fallen asleep on a nearby couch and Simon had done the same at my feet. I had tried to convince him to sleep in one of the bedrooms upstairs, but he had refused. _"I want to know you'll be there when I wake up," _he had insisted. Roy was keeping watch at the window.

Blaire was curled up in a ball on another couch. She hadn't spoken to me since the incident earlier that afternoon. I honestly couldn't blame her. If I had seen my friend shoot three guys without blinking an eye, I'd probably start freaking out, too. I had no idea how to fix things with her, though.

I sighed and traced the heart pendant that was currently clinking against my mother's locket. Inside of the tiny heart was a secret that could potentially kill us all. I was determined to keep it safe until we could figure out what to do with it. I slipped the necklace back underneath my thin jacket.

I quietly stood up and stepped over Simon, not wanting to wake him. I walked towards the window where Roy was intently watching the streets outside. Some drunken students had wandered by earlier, but not many people had come down our quiet, forgotten street.

"See anything interesting?" I asked softly.

"Not yet."

"Roy, why don't we just go to Cape Horn? No one even thought of looking for you and June down there."

"It's been compromised, August."

"How? No one found you."

"It is. Just drop it."

"Well, where are we going?"

"I can't tell you that in case we're separated and caught." He looked at the necklace. "August, give me the necklace."

"Why?"

"Just follow an order without questioning it," Roy replied exasperatingly. I unclasped the chain and handed it to him. He put it in his bag without a word.

"What are we going to do? I'm a fugitive wanted for murder, you and June are like Bonnie and Clyde, and we're in possession of an item of critical importance. One little mistake could land us all in jail or in front of a firing squad."

"I have a plan. Don't worry."

"It would just be nice if I knew what said plan was, that's all."

Roy was growing more frustrated by the minute. "I don't have to tell you everything, August. Can you please just let me do my job and you do yours?"

I leaned against the wall and pulled my jacket around me in an attempt to keep myself warm. "Well, can you tell me that we're going to make it out of here in one piece?"

He looked over at me and smiled. "I can't make any promises, but I'll try my hardest."

I smiled. "Good."

We stood in silence for a while, staring out at the dark night. I let myself slip into my own thoughts. _How are we ever going to make it out of this one? I'm probably never going to be able to go back to Boston, not when I've been accused of treason and murder. Heck, I probably can't even get back into the U.S. It's going to take some major tricks to save us this time._

I closed my eyes. Worrying wasn't going to help me at all. I imagined Raul's face and me driving my fist into his jaw. The mental image made me grin. I was not going to let him win.

I quietly looked over at Roy. He had a firm gaze on the dim street, as if he was determined not to let anything escape his glance. I decided to let him do his thing and wandered back to my chair. As soon as I stepped over Simon, Blaire began to stir. I froze instantly. I didn't really want to have to deal with her right then. _Please don't wake up, _I pleaded.

Luck wasn't on my side this time. Blaire slowly opened her eyes. "August?" she whispered.

"Umm…go back to sleep," I said in a slow, haunting voice. "This is a dream."

She narrowed her eyes. "August," she said seriously. "We need to talk."

I sighed. "Fine." We silently walked up the stairs into one of the abandoned rooms. It was dreary and empty except for an empty bookshelf and a broken chair sitting in the corner. I sort of awkwardly pressed myself against the bookshelf while Blaire stood in front of me with her arms crossed and an unreadable expression on her face.

"Talk," she ordered.

"About what?" I asked. "I've done nothing wrong, Blaire."

"August, I've been dragged halfway across the world. I've almost died numerous times, and I don't even know why. You've kept a huge secret from me, and it almost got me killed. Why would you not tell me anything? And don't even say 'it's complicated.'"

I just looked at her. I didn't know what to say. How could you tell your best friend that you were trying not to get her killed by not telling your biggest secret? Heck, it didn't even make sense to me! So I just remained silent.

"So that's it? I'm just getting the silent treatment? Well, I guess I deserve it. After all I've been through, after all I've seen…after all I've seen _you_ do! You're like the teenage girl version of Jason Bourne, August! You've killed, like, ten people in the past week…"

"Okay Blaire, first off, I do not _kill_ people. I have only killed twice in my life, and each time it broke me. You cannot even comprehend how it feels to pull that trigger, knowing that you are about to end someone's life. I am not some platinum-grade assassin. The CIA wants to make me into that person, but I'm not going to let them. But the only way I can do that is build up my walls and stay off the grid. And you need to understand that I may have to do some things that you might find uncomfortable. I am not the same girl you used to know. I have had to change, but that does not mean you have to, too. I will get you home, okay? You just have to trust me."

Blaire was the one who was silent now. I almost thought she was going to pass out for a moment. "So you're not a cold-blooded killer?"

I shook my head. "No, Blaire. I never was. I never will be."

"But why wouldn't you tell me what happened? I'm your best friend."

"I was trying to protect you. The CIA was willing to leave me alone as long as I didn't tell anyone what really happened in July. But they were starting to close in on me. It was only a matter of time until I would be forced to disappear. I didn't want your life to be put in jeopardy because of me. If you knew anything, you could be used as leverage against me."

"Well, that already happened, so I guess your genius plan didn't work."

"Blaire, please don't start this with me." _Oh my gosh, I sound like Roy. He's really rubbing off on me. This has to be karma coming back to bite me in the butt. _

"Oh, I'm going to start something, August! If you had told me something, then I could have…I don't know…prepared or something!"

"Do you honestly think I expected for us to be kidnapped by a Spanish arms dealer? I'm not psychic, Blaire!"

"You had an armory in your rec room!"

"It was in case something did happen so then I would be ready!"

"So you did know something might happen to you!"

I was getting mad. I hated being told I was wrong, and I hated being screamed at. Unfortunately for Blaire, she was about to see the dark side of August Havens. I pulled out my knife and slammed it into the bookshelf. The thud made Blaire stop screaming just long enough to see my weapon lodged into the wood. "What was that for?" she huffed.

I was completely calm. "Do you know why I carry a knife, Blaire?"

"So you can stab bad guys?"

"It's so I can feel safe. When I carry a knife or a gun, I feel secure. I know I'm ready for anything. That's why I had an armory installed. I knew that eventually I'd have to fight for my freedom and I was willing to die for it. I didn't expect for us to be kidnapped. I never wanted to drag you into this, Blaire. That's why I kept my former life a secret." I yanked my knife out of the wood and began to walk away.

"August?" Blaire called. I slowly turned around.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

I smiled. "I am, too." We hugged and I had to grin. _At least this problem is out of the way._

~*O*~

_Central Intelligence Agency_

_Langley, VA_

Kara sat uncomfortably in her seat in the board meeting. The topic: the elusive fugitive August Havens. The objective: Bring her in, dead or alive. The new director had set out on a rampage to bring in August, mostly to prove herself as a better director than Isabel George had been. Who wouldn't try to capture one of the United States' most wanted fugitives, anyway?

Kara had been added as an asset on this case. Since her specialty was disguises, Abigail had hoped that she could help pick August out of a crowd. Also, she was one of the best agents in her field. But she wasn't sure if she could help the CIA track down August. Not when she knew that the teenager was innocent.

Just then, Abigail came strolling into the room. She looked at the five agents decisively. Then, she smiled. Kara knew she liked what she saw. "Good morning, agents," Abigail said. "As you know, this meeting is about capturing the fugitive August Havens. She disappeared from Boston a week ago, and is now in the wind. If we don't track her down soon, we'll lose her."

"Have you had any hits at airports?" one agent asked.

"No, Agent Newman. She's too smart for that anyway. Most likely, she either drove or took a boat. There was one unauthorized boat in the area the night of the accident, but there was no one around to identify it. We believe that Havens was smuggled onto that boat along with her friend, Blaire Pruitt. You all have been called into this meeting because you are the strongest in your field. Plus, some of you have some connections to this case. Agent Jacobs?"

Kara froze._ Does she know that I know August?_ "Yes?"

"You did have a relationship with Roy Miller, didn't you?"

She allowed herself to breathe. "Yes, I did."

"Was it a romantic one?"

"No! No, of course not. We were just friends. I helped him out, and he helped me. It was a platonic relationship, director."

Abigail nodded. "Of course, Agent Jacobs." Kara could tell that she didn't believe her. _I wouldn't believe what I said, either. I'm a spy, for one, and I'm a trained liar. I never had any attraction to Roy, anyway. I was too young for him._

The door opened and a handsome man with brown hair and soft blue eyes came rushing in. "Sorry I'm late. I had to grab some papers," the man apologized.

"Agent Billings! You should know out of everyone here the importance of being on time. You can sit by Agent Jacobs," Abigail scolded. Billings sat next to Kara, shooting her a smile in the process. She tried not to notice. "Now, why don't we get started. Our target is August Havens, as you all know. But we are also interested in two of her former acquaintances, Roy Miller and June Havens. I've heard some intel that claims that the two are searching for her. This could be the mistake that catches them once and for all. That's why Agents Billings and Jacobs are here. They used to work with Miller, so maybe they can help us with his habits. The rest of you are the best analysts and profilers the CIA has to offer. Your job will be to try to narrow down where August has hunkered down, and if she has Simon Feck with her. This is a matter of national security, everyone. Havens could have easily sold the microchip by now. We need to find it and we need to find her. Now, get to work!"

The four analysts and profilers instantly ran out of the room. Kara got up to follow them, but Abigail stopped her. "Not so fast, Agent Jacobs. I need to have a word with you and Billings." Kara reluctantly sat down. The director glanced at the two agents. "You two have something in common: you both have a connection to Roy Miller. You'll be working together, so I suggest you learn to like one another. If you can come up with any useful information, come find me. Otherwise, go to your office and get to work." Their boss then left the room.

Billings looked over at her. "You know, compared to her, I really miss Isabel."

Kara smiled. "You and me both. So…where is this office?"

"I'll show you." They began to walk down the hallway. Soon, they arrived at a small office. There wasn't much in the room, only two desks with computers and office supplies. There was also a counter with a sink and a coffeemaker. Kara immediately went to make herself a cup of coffee. Billings wasn't about to let her be silent, though. "Kara, don't deny that we know one another."

"We could be being watched."

"We're not. I already searched for cameras and bugs. The room's clean."

"Billings, I'm not going to help find August."

"I know. You can call me Will, you know."

"I prefer to be impersonal."

"All you British do."

"Shut up."

"But seriously, what are we going to do, Kara? We both know that August is not a terrorist, but we can't say anything since we can't give proof without being branded terrorists, too."

"We can't do anything," Kara replied while pouring herself coffee. "We can only try to stall them. Last I knew, Roy and June were in the Mediterranean searching for August. If we can stall Abigail, we can give them some time to find her and escape."

"You do know that that's obstruction of justice, right?"

"Well, we've already aided three fugitives, so what's one more broken law?"

Billings smiled. "You're my type of woman."

"I'm not going to date you, if that's what you're saying."

"No, of course not. I agree with you. We need to help Roy and June as much as we can. June knows that August has been charged with treason?"

"Yes, I told her when I called a few days ago. I haven't heard anything else from her since then."

"So, if Roy is the same guy I was partnered with, he most likely found her. He probably is hiding out with June, August, Simon, and Blaire and figuring out a more permanent situation."

"You think that Simon and Blaire are with him, too?"

"They have to be. Roy wouldn't leave them behind. Simon's like a little brother to him, and August would never leave Blaire. She feels guilty for dragging her into all of this."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Billings leaned against one of the desks. "Well, let's get started. I can pull up some of Roy's former safe houses and draw Abigail towards those."

Kara smiled. "Get me some security footage and I can find someone who resembles August. So…you used to be Roy's partner?"

"Yeah, for the last two years. Weren't you?"

"No, we helped each other out. He got me supplies and I helped him get out of some sticky situations. And no, we were not in a relationship, no matter what Abigail will try to tell you."

Billings laughed. "I know. Roy mentioned you once or twice in passing. I always thought you were one of his partners, though."

Kara sipped her coffee. "No, I never was." She became deep in thought. "We'd better get busy. I don't want Abigail to get suspicious." She went to sit at one of the desks.

"Kara, do you think it could have ever worked out between us?" Billings asked softly.

She remained silent, tapping on her keyboard. "Get to work, Billings." _I can't deal with this right now. _Kara looked up to see Billings working on the other computer. She allowed a small smile to cross her face. _Maybe someday, Billings._

~*O*~

_Madrid, Spain_

The sun was rising over the city, but we were already on the move. Roy was taking us to another house where one of his contacts had hidden fake ID's for us. June had reluctantly come along, although she'd spent most of the trip muttering under her breath about all of us being betrayed and extradited back to the United States. I had chosen to ignore her.

Blaire and I were fine, and she had even accepted my offer to teach her how to throw a knife. I had given her a few quick lessons, and she was a natural. But she refused to touch any type of firearm, even tranq guns. I tried explaining that tranq guns wouldn't hurt the person, only knock them unconscious, but she still wanted nothing to do with them.

We reached the house and Roy put up a hand. "Wait here," he whispered.

"I'm coming with you," I replied, cocking my pistol. Simon tried to hold me back, but I brushed his hands off. "He needs backup," I breathed in his ear. Simon let me go. I took a deep breath and followed Roy.

_Please let him be right, _I begged. _Please don't let there be a SWAT team behind this door. _My hands were trembling as Roy turned the doorknob. We silently walked inside, guns drawn and at ready. I bit my lip to try to keep myself quiet. Roy walked through all of the rooms while I stayed at the entrance. I kept my gun at my hips, ready for anything.

All of a sudden, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around quickly and almost put a bullet through Blaire. "Blaire!" I gasped. "Don't sneak up on me like that! I almost shot you!"

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "You didn't come back. I thought something happened to you."

I had to forgive her. She was just trying to help. I noticed she even had her knife out. "So you planned to take out a SWAT team with one knife?" I asked with a grin.

She shrugged. "I was going to try."

I laughed. "Maybe it was a good thing dragging you into this."

Blaire smiled. "Maybe."

Roy came in the room by then. "It's clear," he said. "Go get June and Simon."

I nodded and leaned my head out the door. "It's all clear," I said softly. They came out from around the corner and slowly came into the house. Simon immediately grabbed onto my hand.

"I thought they had caught you," he whispered.

"I'm fine," I replied. "Besides, if that had happened, you would've heard me shooting CIA agents or Spanish arms dealers."

"August, don't joke about that."

"You're not going to lose me, Simon. I promise you that."

He became quiet and we walked into the house together. Roy had already found a duffel bag and was unpacking it. "Good, they included the software," he muttered. "August, go hang up this backdrop. We need new passport photos." He handed me a piece of stiff fabric. I obeyed and put the fabric up in another room.

"What identities do you have?" I asked.

"I have a Mark and Sarah Baker…"

"We can take those," June put in.

"That's not very smart," I argued. "They'll be looking for a married couple. Could they be father and daughter, perhaps? Or even brother and sister. We could alter the birthdays." I thought for a moment. "Give those to Simon and Blaire. They can be brother and sister."

Roy nodded at my logic. "Good thinking, August. I'll take this one for a John Hunter. You and June can have Holly and Reese Martin."

"Can I be Reese?" I asked.

"Sure. Are we cousins or what?"

"I'd say make them aunt and niece," Blaire put in. "That's your usual disguise, right?"

I shook my head in agreement. "Let's do that, then."

After a while, we were hard at work. Roy's contact had included hair dye, so June and I had both dyed our hair dark brown. I had put in blue contact lenses and practiced using darker makeup. Blaire had dyed her hair blond, which made her look a lot different, along with wearing a pair of glasses. Simon had gotten a haircut and was currently wearing contacts instead of his glasses. "I like this side of you," I joked while running my fingers through his new hair.

"Maybe I should keep it, then."

"I like your glasses, but you should keep the hair."

"I think I will."

Roy was setting up the passports using a laptop and software that made fake ID's. Mine stated that my name was Reese Hope Martin and I was born on May 17. I had been memorizing the fake background Roy had made up. According to him, I was traveling with my aunt, who wanted to treat her favorite niece with a trip around Europe as a late sixteenth birthday present. I had added some more personal details as well, such as Reese liked to run and she could play the piano.

Simon and Blaire were already acting like brother and sister. Blaire claimed that she needed to get into character, so that meant that she began to pester Simon relentlessly until he threatened to sic me on her. She eventually shut up. I had to laugh at her antics, though.

June had been put in charge of finding flights for us. To ensure that we had a small lead, we had been split into two groups. June and I were on one flight while Roy, Simon, and Blaire were on the other. So far, we were flying into New York City. Otherwise, none of us (except for Roy) knew where we were actually going. Roy had a safe house set up somewhere in the States, but he wasn't releasing the location. I tried getting it out of him, but he wouldn't say anything. "If one of us gets caught, I don't want you giving away where we're going in case the rest of us escape," he claimed.

Around eight that night, we younger ones were ordered to sleep since it would be an early morning. I reluctantly went into the other room with Blaire while Simon made up a bed on a couch. "Do you think we'll make it?" Blaire asked me as she settled onto the bed that we would be sharing.

"I don't know. I've made it out of a country before, but I had help. This time, it's different. There are more people in the group, and there's more people wanting us caught and killed. It'll all depend what happens in the airport tomorrow." I got underneath the covers and curled into the pillow.

"I've got to admit, I'm a little scared."

I nodded and turned to face her. "That's normal. Just wait until you have to show your passport at customs. It's even more nerve-wracking."

"I have no idea how you do this every day, August."

"Blaire, I only lived this life for a few weeks. I have no idea how I did it either, honestly. I just did what I had to do to survive. You'll see that."

"I guess." She turned over and soon began to breathe more evenly. I continued to stare at the ceiling. _Please let us live through tomorrow._

~*O*~

Three hours later, I was still staring at the ceiling. I gave up on sleep and went to see what Roy and June were doing. I found June standing at the window with a cup of coffee and Roy asleep with his head on the desk where he had been working on passports. "Hi," I whispered.

She whipped around. "August, you scared me!"

"Sorry. What are you doing awake?"

"I can't sleep. Same with you?"

"Yeah. June, why aren't we going back to Cape Horn? Roy won't tell me anything except that 'it's compromised.'"

My cousin sighed. "I did something I shouldn't have. I compromised our safe house."

"How?" I asked, enamored.

"I…may have sent Roy's parents tickets to Cape Horn."

I was shocked and couldn't even speak. Luckily, my voice came back. "June…why would you do something like that?"

"I don't know! I just thought that maybe I could reunite Roy and his parents, that's all. I realized I screwed up when Roy started screaming at me when I told him. He wanted to move out immediately, and we received your distress signal the day before we packed up. Now, he refuses to go back because he doesn't want to run into them accidentally. They've thought he's been dead for almost twenty years, and he's not about to tell them any different."

"He can't, June. I wouldn't, either. It would be like they have been living a lie all these years. It would break his mother's heart."

June had a tired look on her face. "I know. But he's not a spy anymore. He can give up all of the lies."

"We're still in danger. The CIA's after me, you, and Roy and Raul will stop at nothing to get that microchip and Simon and to see me dead. If we bring Roy's parents into this, then all we're doing is giving our enemies more leverage over us. As long as they think Roy's dead, they're fine."

She was in silence. "I guess you're right. Maybe someday they can meet again."

"Yeah, maybe." I seriously doubted it. At the rate our lives were going, we'd be lucky to live past tomorrow.

"August, I'm sorry that I just left you on your own. Maybe if I hadn't, none of those things would have happened to you."

"June, it's fine."

"No, it's not. I was selfish and only was thinking about me and Roy. I'm your guardian, August. It's my job to take care of you."

"If you hadn't left me behind, then Simon would have been all alone when Raul took him. He would've died protecting the microchip. By leaving me in Boston, I was able to be with Simon and help buy us some time until you could rescue us. You helped save us, June."

June thought this over for a minute. "I'm still sorry, though."

I smiled. "I forgive you."

"Have you thought about what will happen with Blaire?"

"No, why?"

"You're not going to be able to take her back, August."

"What do you mean?" I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"As soon as you leave her in Boston or wherever, the government will descend on her. They won't be as easy on her. They want all of us really bad, and they will do anything to find out where we are. That means that Blaire could be tortured or even killed to get what they want. From now on, she's part of our group."

I was stunned. I had thought I could get Blaire home, but now I had doubts. "I promised her that I would."

"Well, sometimes we make promises that we can't keep, August."

"I never break my promises."

"This one you'll have to. I'm going to bed now. You should, too." She picked up a few blankets and went to another bedroom. I looked out the window at the busy street filled with drunk college students partying. I only wished I could be as carefree as them. I saw my reflection from the streetlights. I could barely recognize the girl looking back at me. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders and melted into her jacket. Her crystal blue eyes were accented by black eyeliner. It was her expression that made me not believe what I was seeing. It was sad, and it seemed like this girl was about to give up. Maybe it was because that was what I was feeling.

_Be strong, August. You still have a lot of strength left in you._ I smiled as I imagined my father's face in my mind.

"Thank you, Dad," I whispered. "I will." I turned away from the window and walked to the room where Blaire was sleeping. I climbed into the bed and closed my eyes. This time, I fell fast asleep and stayed that way.

_**Happy New Year everyone. I hope that 2013 is a great year for you all.**_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Madrid, Spain_

The next morning was chaotic. Suitcases were being packed with random items to make us appear as normal as possible, clothes were being thrown on, passports were being passed out, and sleep deprivation was about to take over us. The air seemed heavy with apprehension as we all realized that this might be our last few hours of freedom. Blaire was the quietest I'd ever seen her. I tried to appear calm in order to alleviate her fears, but nothing worked.

"Blaire, did you remember your ceramic knives?" I asked while hiding my gun inside a hairdryer.

"Yeah," she said. "I have one on me and another in my suitcase."

I nodded. "Good." I continued to pack my suitcase with clothes that I wasn't even sure would fit me.

Roy looked up at all of us. "I think we're good to go. June, you and August need to leave now so you can make your flight."

June bit her lip and nodded. "Okay." She kissed him gently and whispered something in his ear.

"Don't worry about that," I heard him say. "I'll find you, I promise."

I watched the couple with confusion. _Why is June worried about Roy? He can take care of Simon and Blaire. I trust him._ I walked over and took June's hand. "Come on, Aunt Holly," I said, getting into character. "We don't want to miss our flight."

My cousin pulled away from her husband. "I love you," she choked. I kissed Simon with as much passion I could muster.

"You'd better come find me," I joked. "I'll get tired of waiting."

"I'll always find you," he replied. We kissed again before I pulled away so I could give Blaire a hug.

"I'll see you in New York," I said with encouragement. "Okay?"

"All right. I'll see you there." She seemed to be more confident now, which gave me hope. _She'll be fine._

June and I walked out of the house cautiously, pulling our suitcases behind us. I looked back and saw Simon standing in the doorway, watching me leave. I gave him a small smile. Roy pulled him back into the house before he could respond. I sighed. _I'll see you soon. I promise. _

"Are you ready?" June asked.

"As I'll ever be." _Please let us get through this._

~*O*~

_Madrid Barajas International Airport_

As I walked through Madrid's main airport, I couldn't stop shaking. All I could think about was getting caught and being shipped back to the U.S. "This feels like déjà vu," June commented.

"Except the last time we flew, we ended up crashing the plane," I replied with a laugh.

"Technically, that was Roy's fault." The world faded away as I remembered that fateful night.

"_Come on, August!"… "Sometimes things happen for a reason."… "I hope it won't be a rough flight."… "Someday…it's really just a code for 'never.'"… "What are you doing?"… "Saving your life."_

"Reese? Reese!" I jumped and saw June staring at me with concern. "Are you okay? You kind of tuned out for a couple of minutes."

"Oh…sorry, I was in my own world."

"Our plane's boarding. Come on! We can't miss it." I followed her to our boarding area and we waited in line as the flight attendant scanned everyone's tickets. Finally, she reached us.

"Have a good trip, Miss Martin," she told me. I gave her a smile and walked up the corridor to the plane where June was waiting for me.

"So far, so good," she whispered.

I only nodded, not wanting to draw attention to myself. "Where are our seats?" I asked softly.

"I'm in 17A, you're in 15B," she replied in the same quiet voice. "I had to take what I could get."

"It's okay. Just don't say anything that reveals who you really are. That means no drinking," I ordered.

"All right, _Mom."_

"Shut up." I walked onto the plane and went to find my seat. I was muttering about June being immature and bumped right into someone standing in the aisle. "Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized. "I didn't see you."

The man that I had bumped into grinned. "It's fine. I was just trying to put my bag up here and wasn't paying any attention. Do you need through, ma'am?"

I looked up at the seat numbers. "No, this is my row. Are you sitting here, too?"

"Yes, ma'am. U.S. Air Marshall Elliott Hall, at your service."

I swear my heart stopped or at least skipped a beat. _I have horrible luck with airplanes. This time I don't even have the sedative pen! _But I remained calm. "Nice to meet you. I'm Reese Martin." I gave him my hand to shake. "What is an U.S. Air Marshall doing on a plane heading to Dublin?" I knew we had a three hour layover in Dublin, Ireland.

"I was on vacation here in Spain and am now heading home. This is just a connecting flight. I'm going to be on the job on my next flight to New York."

I was swearing internally. Of course it was just my rotten luck to be stuck on a plane sitting next to a federal official who could very well arrest me in the blink of an eye. But I had to be Reese. August didn't exist right now. I was just a normal teenage girl who was not an international fugitive wanted for murder and kidnapping. "How interesting. I'm heading home, too. I've been traveling in Europe the past few weeks with my aunt."

"Really? Wouldn't you rather sit with your aunt? I can switch seats if you'd like."

"Oh no, I'm fine. I don't want to cause any trouble. I'd rather sit by a nice official instead. My aunt and I are kind of tired of being together, too. It's been a long few weeks." I was trying not to look at June. If I was made, I didn't want her to be found, too.

"All right, then. Do you prefer aisle or window?"

"Window, please."

Elliott let me through and I sat down. I was scared to death that he would find out who I really was and arrest me. But I was safe now. He couldn't arrest me on Spanish soil, could he? I wasn't sure, but I wasn't going to test it. "So, what brought you to Europe again?" he asked.

"My aunt surprised me with a trip to Europe for my sixteenth birthday in May," I answered. "We finally got around to it."

"Very cool."

"Yeah, it was. We went to London, Paris, Rome, and finally Barcelona and Madrid. It was the best experience of my life," I added.

"I bet. I wish I would have had a chance like that when I was your age."

"Yeah…" I trailed off. I felt uncomfortable and turned to look out the window. The flight attendants began their spiel, but I wasn't worried about the plane catching on fire or crashing into the ocean. I knew most of the stuff they were saying, anyway. I buckled my seatbelt and blew out a breath. _Let's just get through today without getting arrested, shall we?_

~*O*~

_London, England_

Blaire sat in her boarding area, flipping through her magazine. Simon was sitting beside her, watching the people walking by them. They were on a layover in London for the time being and both of them were scared to death that they would be caught. Roy was on the other side of the boarding area and Blaire was trying really hard not to look at him.

The flight from Madrid to London had gone really well. No one had suspected them, and it had been a smooth trip. There was something bothering her, though. She turned to Simon. "Why are we going back to the States?" she asked. "If we get caught there, we have no chance of escaping. Why not go to South America or something?"

"I think Roy said something about this being a trick. They won't think that we'd be stupid enough to go back to the country that wants us dead. So we put the drop on our enemies by doing exactly the opposite. Or at least I think that's what Roy said."

Blaire nodded and looked back down at her magazine. She flipped through the pages, but didn't absorb any information out of them. "Do you want to get something to eat?" Simon asked. "We have a long flight ahead of us."

"Sure. Why not?" She put the magazine in her carry-on bag and proceeded to follow Simon towards an area of restaurants. She noticed Roy watching them as they left, but he didn't get up and go with them. _That makes sense. He's not supposed to know us._

"What kinds of food do you like?" Simon wondered.

"Anything," Blaire answered.

"There's a little Italian place over here. I don't know about you, but I've been craving pizza for the past two months. What about that?"

"Yeah, that'd be great." They walked towards the small restaurant and waited in line to give their order.

"So how long have you and _Reese _been friends?" He was referring to August, of course. She realized that they were both scared to mention her real name out in the open like this.

Blaire smiled. "Since she moved in my neighborhood after her parents died. That would have been…almost three years ago."

"She talks about you a lot. It was hard for her to keep the truth from you. She really cares about your safety. I think she tried to kill Raul when he left you behind on the yacht."

"That seems like her." She paused for a moment. "How did you two fall in love so easily? You've only been together for a few months."

Simon had a far-off look on his face. Blaire knew he was thinking of August, who should have been in Dublin by that time. "When you're in so many life or death situations every day, every moment counts. You learn to live each day as if it's your last. That's what we do and that's why our relationship is so strong. We know that we could be separated any minute, so we try to make the most of what time we have."

"That makes sense." At that point, they were at the front of the line, so they gave their orders and proceeded to wait for their food.

"Do you think we'll make it?" Simon wondered.

"I hope so. I know that she will never forgive herself if anything happens to us."

Their food was ready by then, so they took their plates to a table to eat. The two were quiet as they ate. Blaire was deep in thought. For some reason, she felt like something was very wrong. She didn't know what it was, but she had a gut feeling that something wasn't right. She discreetly looked around, attempting to see if anyone seemed suspicious. No one appeared to be watching her and Simon. _You're just paranoid, that's all. August said she felt the same way when she was in these situations. Just breathe, Blaire. You're fine. _Blaire took a deep breath and sighed. She had to admit that she couldn't wait to be at the safe house, wherever it may be. At least then she could be remotely safe for a while. Maybe she could even be able to catch her breath for once.

_Maybe I should start a weight loss program after this is over. "The Fugitive's Diet." Ha! I'm a regular comedian. _

"Gosh, I'm going crazy," Blaire muttered.

~*O*~

_Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean_

I picked at my lunch. The airline had served us a bland meal of pasta with meat sauce, bread, a salad, and watery coffee. It wasn't the worst meal I'd ever eaten, but my stomach was too twisted into knots to even think of eating. Elliott was still sitting next to me, and he was eating with relish. I was about to start screaming. It was torture to sit next to a federal official for seven or more hours, knowing that any moment my secret could be revealed.

I had pulled June aside during the layover in Dublin and told her in no uncertain terms to act as if she didn't know me. _"If I'm going down, you're not coming with me," _I had ordered. She tried to protest, but I refused her help. Luckily, we were seated further apart this time, and I could barely see the top of her head from where I sat.

"Aren't you hungry?" Elliott asked.

"I ate in Dublin," I explained, which was a lie. "Besides, I'm not really an Italian sort of girl."

"Well, I usually prefer a nice rib eye steak, but I'll eat anything when I'm stuck on a plane. Even if it's cruddy airplane food." He smiled, but I couldn't return it. Not when I was scared out of my mind. _Come on, be Reese. Don't worry about him. If you act normal, he won't suspect a thing._ I took a deep breath and looked out the window at the afternoon sky.

Just then, Elliott's phone vibrated. He sighed. "I really need to stop getting these notifications."

"Spam?" I asked.

"No, they're from work. They send me files of fugitives that may be trying to escape or get into the States. Like this one, for example. Her name's August Havens."

My heart stopped when I saw my picture on the screen. I still looked a lot like my normal self. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "What did she do?"

"It's more like what she didn't do. I can't tell you everything because her case is classified, but she is not as innocent as she looks."

"She must have done something pretty bad to be on your most wanted list."

"Let's just say she killed a very important person and may have stolen a very critical item. There's a pretty hefty reward for whoever brings her in."

"She's only a teenager," I mused.

"Yeah, August is sixteen. But she's very dangerous. The entire country is searching for her, so I'm pretty sure we'll find her soon. A teenage girl can hide in only so many places."

_That's a fact I already know all too well. _"Do you think she would try to go back to the U.S.? That seems a little crazy."

"Well, these people are a little crazy, Miss Martin. Why else would this girl commit these crimes?"

"Maybe she felt like she had no choice." I was edging closer and closer to the danger zone, but I wasn't about to be judged by a man who didn't even know me.

"Everyone has a choice. It just depends on what choice you make. This girl made the wrong one."

I bit my lip to keep from screaming that I had made the choice that had kept me alive and I had been framed in the first place. But then I could get arrested, and that would be bad. So I kept my mouth shut.

Elliott smiled at me. "But you shouldn't concern yourself with her, Reese. August Havens will receive her judgment in due time. You should relax and enjoy your trip."

"Yes, I probably should." I leaned back in my seat. Thoughts were racing around my head and I closed my eyes. _How many other people have received my file? How many people will be scanning the airports for me? For my companions? Will I ever be safe? _

I knew that I probably would never know the answers to those questions. I didn't want to be negative, but I wasn't sure if I would ever be safe again. I didn't want to live a life on the run, but it seemed to be my only choice. I just had to make it to the safe house.

"So, how big is that bounty on August?" I asked. _August, shut up! _A voice inside my head screamed. I didn't listen to it.

"Well, I really shouldn't say anything…but about a hundred thousand dollars."

My heart sunk. Every bounty hunter on the planet would be searching for me. Catching me would set someone up for months. "That's a lot of money."

"She's a very dangerous young girl. Every moment that she's out there free is critical. The American government is not above using bribery to get what they want."

"Of course. She's one of the most wanted fugitives, after all."

"Yeah. I wish I could be the one to catch her. That money could change my life."

I fingered my brunette hair. _You don't know how close you are. _"I bet," I said softly.

"I think I'm going to catch some shuteye before we land. It was nice getting to talk to you, Reese."

"Same to you, Elliott." I turned my head away from him and snuggled into my seat back. _You can make it, August. Just don't screw up._

~*O*~

I awoke to something biting into my wrists. I gasped and opened my eyes to find myself sitting on an uncomfortable chair in a dark room. "Hello?" I called hoarsely. I tried to move my hands but found them handcuffed behind my back. My heart began pounding a mile a minute. I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand quickly covered it, muffling my strangled cries.

"Now August, you don't want to disturb our flight." I watched as Elliott Hall circled my chair. "And don't even think about screaming for Miller. I know he's not on the plane."

I pulled myself out of his grip. "Where am I?" I ordered. "And how did you find me?"

"You're in the cargo hold. You were telling me some pretty strange things. So while you were asleep I checked your credentials and discovered that Reese Martin doesn't exist. I also took your fingerprints. Plus, I saw your scar. You are definitely August Havens."

"Let me guess. You're going to hold me hostage until we reach the States, where I'll then be arrested and you'll be rich. Am I correct?"

"Right on the button, August. And as long as you stay quiet, I won't add resisting arrest on the list of charges. Now I'm going back to my seat since we'll be landing soon. Don't worry, you'll be fine back here." He took out a roll of duct tape. "I'm sorry I have to do this, but I can't risk you screaming and alerting the crew." He tore off a piece and stuck it on my mouth. I glared at him. "I'll see you when we land, August." Elliott walked out the door and left me alone inside the cargo hold.

I groaned and hit my head on the back of the chair. _How could I have been so stupid? Now I'm going to be arrested and carted off to the CIA where most likely they'll kill me. Either that or they'll try to recruit me 'to save my life.' I'd rather die._

I thought about June. Elliott hadn't found her, so she could get off the plane and find Roy, as long as she didn't pull a hero move. _Don't be a hero, June. Just run and get out of here. I'm the one they really want, for whatever twisted reason. _

But I knew June all too well. She would not leave me behind again, no matter how much I wanted her to. _I'll have to escape before she does something stupid. _

I looked around the cargo hold, but saw nothing close to me to use to pick the handcuff locks. I tried seeing if I could stand up and get the cuffs from behind my back, but I couldn't.

All of a sudden, the plane suddenly lurched and my chair tipped over. I bit back a cry of pain. _"You'll be fine back here." Yeah, right. _

"_This is your captain speaking," _a voice echoed. _"We have just hit a large area of turbulence, so please return to your seats, buckle your seat belts, and return your trays to their original upright positions. Thank you." _

_Oh my gosh, I'm going to die. I never imagined it would be this way._ The plane tilted again and my chair slid to the opposite side of the cargo hold. I shrieked when I banged against the wall. It tilted again, but this time I stayed. Apparently my handcuff chain had gotten hooked onto a sharp piece of metal sticking out of the wall. I began pulling the chain, attempting to free myself. My chair kept sliding and it was putting immense pressure on my arms. My eyes were watering from the pain. The chain finally broke and I slid towards the other wall. I grabbed onto a loose piece of rope, hoping that it would slow my fall. I caught it and immediately heard a loud pop from my right shoulder. I screamed in agony and clutched onto it.

_I dislocated my shoulder. At a time like this, I dislocated my shoulder! _This was really bad since it was my dominant arm and it was now hanging lifelessly at my side. I held onto a large pile of cargo with my good arm and waited for the plane to level out. As it did, I sighed in relief. My shoulder was throbbing and hurt like the devil. I pulled off the duct tape and leaned against the wall. I had no idea what I was going to do once we landed, but I was not going to jail. Not like this.

I bit my lip. I knew what I had to do. Roy had taught me a few things involving medicine in one of his letters and one of them had been how to reset a dislocated shoulder. _Well, let's get this over with. _I stepped back and looked my shoulder with reluctance. _You can't escape with a severe injury, August. You know that._ I swallowed hard and got ready. I lay down on the ground and bent my right elbow, crying from the immense pain. Then I used my good arm to make my right arm into an "L" shape. _Here comes the worst part. _I slowly and steadily rotated my bad arm and shoulder outward. I made my right hand into a fist and held onto that wrist with my left hand and pushed slowly. Sure enough, after a few tries, I heard another "pop" and my shoulder went back in. I blew out a breath in relief. _I did it._

Just then, I realized that the plane was beginning to descend. I had to be ready to make my escape. I found a metal pipe that was part of a shipment and smiled. I knew what I was going to do now.

I stood behind the door and waited for Elliott to make an appearance. I knew he would probably come get me shortly after the plane landed. I tightened my grip on the pipe. As soon as he came, I would whack him on the head and make my escape. I saw that he had brought my bag back with me and I had found my suitcase. After I knocked him out, I planned to calmly walk off the plane and melt into the crowded airport. From there, I would find June and then we would find Roy, Simon, and Blaire. I just hoped that my plan would work.

The plane landed within a few minutes and sure enough, Elliott opened the door. I waited for him to enter and look around in shock at my disappearance before hitting him on the back of the head with the pipe. He dropped like a stone and I quietly grabbed my things. "You should have left me alone," I whispered before exiting.

~*O*~

_John F. Kennedy International Airport_

_New York City, New York, U.S.A_

I had snuck off the plane and was now searching for June. No one had suspected me when I walked down the causeway into the airport. _Oh man, I have to go through customs. _I only hoped that Elliott hadn't had time to flag my Reese Martin credentials.

I scanned the boarding area. _Come on June, where are you? _I winced as I accidentally bumped into someone with my injured shoulder. I thought carefully about where June had gone. She was probably scared about my capture and hiding somewhere. Then, I remembered where we were supposed to go in the first place.

Roy, Simon, and Blaire's flight was scheduled to arrive at 6:40, almost a half hour after we landed. June and I were supposed to meet them at the parking garage where Roy would bring a rental car. June had probably gone there as ordered. I shifted my bag on my shoulder and walked towards the nearest bathroom. It was time for me to alter my appearance again.

I gingerly took off my orange zip-up sweatshirt as soon as I entered and deposited the sweatshirt in a trash can, leaving me in my turquoise long-sleeve shirt instead. I pulled my brunette hair into a twist and fixed my dark liner. Hopefully this would fool the security cameras and Elliott for a while. I then quietly walked back outside and blended into the crowds effortlessly.

I made my way to customs and calmly pulled out my passport. I handed it to the official, who then typed my name into his computer. _Please don't let me get caught. _

"Welcome back to the States, Miss Martin," the official said while handing back my passport.

I smiled. "Thank you." I went through the gate and into the lobby of the airport. What I saw there surprised me.

There was June, standing in the middle of the crowd, biting her lip. She looked scared to death and she was wringing her hands. It took all of my willpower to keep from running to her. I couldn't reveal myself now. I walked beside her and brushed my hand against her arm. She looked up and saw me. "August," she mouthed.

I put a finger to my lips and nodded my head towards the parking garage. She also nodded and we walked towards the corridor leading to the garage. I tried to breathe easier. _We aren't out of the woods yet._

All of a sudden, I heard a voice pierce the hum of the terminal. "Stop that girl!" I turned around and saw a group of security guards running right towards us.

"Seriously?" I groaned.

"What happened to you?" June asked.

"It's a long story. Right now, we've got to go." I spotted a security golf cart near us. I jumped into the driver's seat. "Get in!" I yelled. June hopped in beside me. I turned the key and we took off, leaving the guards behind us.

"August, what happened? Did you get caught?"

"No, June. They're chasing me because they want to give me a million dollars. What do you think?" I swerved to avoid hitting a family heading towards the food court.

"You don't need to use sarcasm."

"Well, I've been held hostage, had to pop my own shoulder back in, and escape a federal official. I really don't care what you think about me right now. Hang on!" I sped up and looked back to see another golf cart had joined the chase. Elliott was in the passenger seat and smiling at me evilly. I felt goose bumps creep up my arms.

_Just breathe, August. _I blew out a breath and sighed. I knew what I needed to do, and I wasn't happy about it. "June, get my gun," I ordered.

"What?"

"There's a gun hidden inside a hairdryer in my suitcase. I need you to get it and shoot out the tires. I know you did it in Sevilla. I need you to do it now. Okay?"

She nodded and began rooting through my suitcase. She eventually broke open the hairdryer and pulled out my gun. "Okay, I got it."

"Shoot!" I demanded as I took a sharp turn. "I am not going to jail!" I drove straight through a display case in front of one of the many gift shops. "Oh gosh, we're going to get arrested."

"Not while I can help it!" June cocked my pistol and fired at the tires of the other golf cart. Everyone started screaming and running.

"Well, we're definitely going to make it onto the evening news," I muttered. "Make sure not to hit anyone. I don't want any more attempted murder charges."

"Got it." She shot again and hit one of the tires. The golf cart went out of control and veered into a store's plate glass window.

I laughed. "Eat my dust, Elliott!" I saw him stumble out of the store with cuts all over his face.

"I know your face, August Havens! I know your aliases! As long as I live, you will never be safe! I will find you!"

I didn't let his threats affect me. I kept on driving towards the parking garage. "We've got to get out of here."

"What about the others?"

"Right now, we need to save our own skin. Roy can find us later." I then saw that the door had already been locked down. "June, I'd duck if I were you."

"August, don't!"

I didn't answer, but instead accelerated towards the big glass door. Right at the last second, I covered my head as we drove right through the glass. Tiny particles flew all over us and June screamed.

"You are the craziest person I've ever met!"

"Thanks," I replied. "Let's find a car."

"What about the security cameras?"

"I've got them." I took the gun from her and aimed it at the nearest camera. _Bang!_ It shattered all over the ground.

"Are you trying to get us caught?" June took the gun back. "Just find a car."

We ended up breaking into a Dodge Charger and hotwiring it. "Where to?" June asked as she slid behind the driver's seat.

"Let's find a hotel."

"Shouldn't we wait for Roy, Simon, and Blaire?"

"We can't, June. It won't take those guards forever to find us. We need to go."

June simply nodded and revved up the car. "Let's head out, then."

We drove out of the parking garage in silence. My shoulder was throbbing again and I was biting my lip to keep myself from crying.

"August, what happened to you?"

"I was put next to a United States Air Marshall. He received my file and somehow figured out it was me. So he kidnapped me and was going to turn me in for the reward money. But I managed to stop him, but not before I dislocated my shoulder."

June was in shock. "You're hurt?"

"Not as much as I was. I popped it back in already."

"How did you know how to do that?"

"Roy taught me."

She sighed. "Of course he did." We drove along for a while. June took a deep breath. "August, what is going on with you? You're not acting like yourself."

"June, I've been kidnapped and almost killed. I'm tired and I'm stressed. All I want to do is take a long hot bath, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. So that's what's going on."

"I'm scared that Roy won't be able to find us."

I smiled. "He will find us, June. He won't give up on us that easily."

"I guess so." We continued to drive through the crowded streets of New York City. I leaned my head back and stared out the window. _I am not coming in that easily, Abigail. _

~*O*~

_Central Intelligence Agency_

_Langley, VA_

The war room was in total chaos. Kara stood in the middle of it, not really sure what she should do. A few minutes ago, a call came in that August Havens was in federal custody and in Manhattan. Then, another call came in that the teenager had escaped and was now roaming around free in the city. Abigail was furious that August had escaped again and was screaming at her team of analysts and profilers.

"I don't care what you have to do. I want you to find that girl." She pointed at August's picture with ferocity. "She cannot get away again. I want you to find August Havens and I want her brought in. I need her alive!"

"Director!" one analyst called.

"What?" Abigail roared.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I noticed something. Does this woman look like June Havens to you?" He pointed at the grainy security photo of August speeding through JFK on a golf cart. Sure enough, there was another brunette woman sitting next to her.

The corners of Abigail's lips slightly curved upwards. "Yes, it does. Put that up on the big screen."

Kara gasped when she saw the photo appear on the large screen at the front of the room. _Oh no, June. Not you, too._

"This is a major break, people. It appears that June Havens was with August today at JFK. I want each of you to run through every flight at JFK and the surrounding airports and see if you can find if their other companions were with them. Now, go!"

The team instantly got to work. Billings called Abigail's attention. "Ma'am, I've got CNN on the phone. They want a statement on the shooting."

"Tell them that we have no comment at this time," Abigail shot back. "We're going to officially reveal the shooters as Holly and Reese Martin. June and August will realize that they cannot use their aliases and they will be trapped. They won't be able to leave the country. Plus, they're alone. There's no Roy Miller to save them this time." She smiled. "They're sitting ducks."

Kara's heart was pounding. August and June were doomed. Unless they found some way to get out of the city, they were sure to be caught. NYPD had their pictures and every civilian cop would be looking for them. Nowhere would be safe. _I have to help them. But how? _

Billings pulled her aside. "Kara, we need to talk."

She nodded and they hurried back to their office. "What?" she asked.

"We have to do something." He gestured to the photos of June and August on the computer screen.

"We can't just abandon them," Kara agreed.

"Kara, I know that you're a hacker."

She was in stunned shock. She had told no one about her ability that had gotten her in trouble at MI6 and almost killed. "How…"

"Shut down the servers. I know you can do it. It will buy them some time. Please, Kara."

Kara took a deep breath. "All right. Just get out of my way." She sat down at the computer and cracked her knuckles. "Let's see how well the CIA protects their darkest secrets." She began typing furiously on the keyboard. "Stand guard," she ordered. Billings obeyed her command and stood by the doorway.

She concentrated on the screen and smiled when she got through the first firewall. "Is that all you got?" she muttered. As if the computer sensed her voice, it instantly blocked her with another firewall. Kara smiled. "Good. Make this a challenge for me." Her fingers flew with lightning speed across the keyboard. Soon enough, she was in the database. "Shut down servers," she whispered as she typed the command.

All of a sudden, all of the electronics shut down, including her computer. Billings ducked into the room. "Act normal. Abigail's heading over and she looks furious."

"_Jacobs! Billings!"_ Kara could hear Abigail's angry voice. She quickly stood up from her computer.

"I have to ruin it," she whispered. She knocked her cup of coffee over her keyboard and smiled as it soaked the keys. She would destroy her terminal later so her trick couldn't be traced back to her. But for now, that would do.

Abigail strolled into the room. Kara relaxed her face, showing no traces of fear or guilt. Billings had done the same. "The servers just shut down," Abigail stated. "Do you two know why?" She turned her iron gaze onto Kara.

Kara gazed back with innocence, even though her heart was pounding. "No. In fact, my keyboard is ruined."

"Yes, it is," Billings cut in. "I knocked her coffee cup on it accidentally."

Abigail stared at both of them, studying their expressions for any signs of lying. Kara was fighting to keep eye contact. _Remain strong. Do not give her any reason to doubt you. _

"I guess I can arrange another keyboard for you, Agent Jacobs. But it's coming out of your paycheck."

"That sounds appropriate, Director." She held back a sigh of relief. Abigail nodded and walked out. As soon as she was gone, Kara leaned back against her desk, finally breathing normally.

"That was close," Billings said.

"You have no idea," Kara agreed.

~*O*~

_New York City, New York_

I ran my fingers through my hair as I washed it in the hotel sink. I watched the brown dye slowly drain away and my blond strands reappear. I had given up on the disguise. Everyone in New York would be looking for a brunette girl, anyway. It made sense to go back to my natural hair color.

I sighed. I was basically doomed. My Reese Martin credentials were now useless thanks to CNN, and there was no way I was using my August Havens ones. That name was now a death sentence.

I stood up and wrapped my hair up in a towel. June had an extra set of ID's from Roy for a Margaret Greene and had used them to get a room for the night. I had tried to convince her to leave me and run, but she refused. _"I am not abandoning you again, August," _she had said with conviction. I could not persuade her any different.

"August, are you almost done?" June called.

"Yeah!" I walked out of the bathroom and found June sitting on the bed watching the news.

"We're still the top story," she said sadly.

"Of course we are. It's probably a matter of national security. Especially since we got away."

"August, we can't keep running. At least not forever."

"June, just leave me. You have a clean identity. I have no chance. My face and aliases are known by everyone. I can turn myself in and say we separated. You can live."

"I'm not leaving you and I'm not giving up on my husband."

I sighed. "June, there's a limited chance that Roy will find us."

"I don't care about statistics. I know Roy and he will find us. He always does." Her voice cracked as she finished the sentence.

I sat down on the bed. "I just don't know how I'm going to get out of this mess." I put my face in my hands. "I am such an idiot. I managed to make a Spanish arms dealer and the CIA furious with me and now it's going to get us all killed."

"August, stop." June put her arm around me. "This is not your fault. You are just a target."

"But why? That is what's bothering me. What skills do I have that are so extraordinary that the CIA wants me so badly? Why can't the Quintanas just leave me alone? And why can't they see I am not a murderer?" I buried my face in June's chest. "I just can't do this anymore. I can't be the strong one."

She stroked my hair. "Sweetheart, it's okay. I feel the same way. But we have to keep our chins up and keep fighting to stay alive. We have to have faith that Roy will find us."

I lifted up my head. "I'll give Roy twenty four hours. If he hasn't found us by then, you leave the city and I'll turn myself in. I will not let you go down with me. I'm the one they want."

"But…"

"June, promise me. I'm the target. Raul doesn't know about you. Please, just promise."

"Fine, August."

"Good. I'm going to get some sleep." I lay down on the other double bed and pulled the covers up. _I will not give up. If they want me, they'd better be prepared to fight._

~*O*~

_Unknown Location in Spain_

Raul sat inside the tiny office at his safe house. He smiled at the red dot blinking in the city of New York. August hadn't found his tracking device yet, and this would be her fatal mistake.

Cristina strolled into the room. She also grinned at the red dot. "She really isn't that smart, is she?" she laughed.

"Not as smart as she seems," Raul agreed. "Tell the men to prepare to head to the States."

"Of course. I'll go right now." The blond left him alone. He tapped his desk.

"We'll meet again soon, August," he whispered. "But you will not escape me this time. Once you give me the microchip, you will die." He began to laugh evilly. "So long, _Señorita Havens._ I'll see you soon."


	9. Dear Readers

Dear Readers,

I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but I have a pretty good reason. Right now, I am taking the summer off from fanfiction and choosing to instead focus on my first novel. I am basing the novel on August Havens and the book will follow her in her adventures. I will not say what the plot will be since I'm not a spoiler type of girl, but it will be filled with action, adventure, danger, and intrigue. I am hoping to finish the book by August 14th (August's birthday!) and find an agent or publisher. I know that it's upsetting that I won't be updating August 2 frequently, but I want to be able to give August Havens and her story to the world and right now I can't do that without plagiarizing. Thank you all for your support over the past two years. I will leave up all of my stories for you to enjoy. In the fall, I will begin writing August 2 again. Thank you so much!

Sincerely,

Alyssa "Aly" Holloway


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